ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Domestic Wastes: Waste Management

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1659W, on domestic wastes: waste management, if he will provide statistics for the amount of waste produced per person in local authorities operating  (a) alternate weekly collections and  (b) traditional weekly collections, based on the data on which councils operate alternate weekly collections referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 16 April 2007,  Official Report, column 77W on domestic waste.

Joan Ruddock: It is not possible to provide an accurate comparison of the amount of waste produced per person in local authority areas running alternate weekly collection (AWC) services and the amount produced in those that are not. The list provided to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman),  Official Report, column 77W, reflected our knowledge at the time, but it is subject to change. Additionally, the collection of the data does not neatly coincide with the roll-out of AWC schemes. Indeed, many schemes are currently being rolled out, so not all households in a local authority area on the list will receive the service. In addition, AWC is being trialled in some areas and no decision has been taken as to whether such schemes will be rolled out more widely.
	The 2005-06 municipal waste statistics, which include tonnages for individual local authorities, can be found on DEFRA's website at:
	www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/wastats/bulletin.htm
	Data on the performances of individual local authorities can also be found on the websites of the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Audit Commission.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Ballots: Trade Unions

Oliver Heald: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how many meetings the Certification Officer or his representatives have held with the Electoral Commission on trade unions since the establishment of the Commission.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that, while it has no record of any meetings having taken place with the Certification Officer or his representatives, it contacts the office of the Certification Officer periodically to verify the registration of trade unions which are reported as having donated to political parties.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departments: Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House what percentage of sick leave taken by her staff was stress-related in each of the last three years.

Harriet Harman: None.

Short Money

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Leader of the House what estimated Short Money funding allocation she plans to make to Opposition political parties in the House of Commons for the 2008-09 financial year.

Harriet Harman: Financial Assistance to Opposition Parties, known as Short Money, is calculated under a formula established by a resolution of the House in 1999. It is set at £6,618,982 for the 2007-08 financial year. This will increase in April 2008 by the year-on-year rise in the retail prices index as at 31 December 2007. Equivalent arrangements, known as Representative Money, are also in place for Opposition parties whose Members decide not to take up their seats. The amount of Representative Money for 2007-08 is £90,036. This, too, will be increased in April 2008 by the rise in the RPI to the previous December. Detailed allocations for 2007-08 are set out in the Library's Standard Note SN/PC/1663.

Westminster Hall Sittings

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Leader of the House what assessment she has made of the merits of holding additional Westminster Hall sittings on Mondays.

Harriet Harman: I have made no specific assessment of the merits of holding such sittings on Mondays.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Northern Ireland

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 1616-17W on aviation: Northern Ireland, what the reasons were for the three airprox incidents in Northern Ireland between 1 June 2006 and 31 May 2007.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Two of the three airprox incidents in airspace over Northern Ireland during the period 1 June 2006 to 31 May 2007 remain subject to assessment by the UK Airprox Board (UKAB). In due course, findings will be published both on the UKAB's website at
	www.airproxboard.org.uk
	and subsequently in hard copy.
	The third airprox was the result of a conflict in Class G airspace between a hang-glider and a light aeroplane. Both pilots had a responsibility to "see and avoid". Avoidance action by the light aircraft resolved the conflict and prevented there being any actual risk that the aircraft would have collided. The UKAB assessed the degree of risk as Category B "safety not assured". The full report (reference number 118/06) is available from the UKAB's website.

Petrol Alternatives: Ribble Valley

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many filling stations in Ribble Valley are able to accommodate alternative fuel types for cars.

Jim Fitzpatrick: This information is not held centrally by Government. However information on geographical locations is available on the Energy Saving Trust website at
	www.est.org.uk
	The Government provides funds to the Energy Saving Trust to run their Infrastructure grant programme. The grants assist the building of refuelling stations for alternative fuels (natural gas/biogas, hydrogen and bio-ethanol).

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peace Keeping Operations

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the resilience of the Mastiff vehicle for service in Afghanistan.

Bob Ainsworth: Mastiff is a robust and capable vehicle and it has already saved the lives of soldiers on operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel injured in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07 are (i) awaiting payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and have been waiting (A) less than six months, (B) less than one year and (C) more than one year and (ii) have not applied for payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 4 June 2007
	The AFCS injury came into operation on 6 April 2005 and applies to injuries and deaths caused by service on or after that date. All injury claims made between that date and 31 March 2006 have been cleared and a decision issued to the claimant. Therefore none are awaiting a decision.
	With regards to the year 2006-07, as at 31 March 2007, there were 593 AFCS injury claims being processed. Of these, 585 claims had been outstanding for less than six months; the remaining eight claims had been outstanding for less than one year.
	Outstanding claims are, by definition, at varying stages of being processed, and it is therefore not possible to say how many of the 593 claims will go on to receive an award.
	Information is not held on the number of injured personnel who have not made a claim to an AFCS award. Following the evaluation of the first year of operation of the AFCS, which found that the number of claims had been less than forecast, measures are being taken to ensure full awareness of the scheme. Possible lack of awareness in the early days of the scheme does not mean that personnel will lose out: they have five years to claim from the date of the injury.

Armed Forces: Casualties

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support is available to the families of service personnel killed in armed conflict.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Wallace) on 27 February 2007,  Official Report, column 1161W.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current  (a) percentage and  (b) number of postings is with less than four months notice in (i) the armed forces and (ii) each service.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. While the majority of postings are administered well in advance there will always be short notice postings where guidelines on notice to deploy cannot be met due to, for example, operational or compassionate/welfare reasons.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to restrict the disclosure of information about the future deployment into combat zones of armed forces personnel.

Bob Ainsworth: We make every effort to ensure that information regarding the future deployment of armed forces personnel is not released publicly until a statement is made in Parliament, while simultaneously providing our armed forces with enough notice of the deployment to complete appropriate pre-deployment training.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where he expects the mental health pilot schemes to be held; and what criteria will be used to assess their performance.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 25 June 2007
	The MOD is working with the four UK Health Departments to pilot a new community-based service that will provide NHS health professionals with assured access to expertise in military mental health. We are in discussion with a number of health trusts across the UK, including in the devolved Administrations, who have indicated an interest in participating in the pilot scheme. I expect the first pilots to launch later this summer. The pilots are planned to last for two years, after which they will be evaluated.
	MOD will commission a process and outcome evaluation of the pilots over the two-year period. This will be an integral part of the project. The terms of the evaluation, which will cover the two years of the pilots and an additional period for follow-up and report-writing, have been advised by the Project Expert Group which comprises national clinical and health care experts. The evaluation will involve a comparison of the new model of services with services previously available in the same area and will compare the particular approach of individual pilot sites. The key measures will be the assessment and treatment regimes provided, and the patient (and carer) experience and outcomes.

Armed Forces: Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest estimate is of the total cost of defence pensions as a share of defence spending in each year from 2002-03 to 2050-51; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The percentage of Ministry of Defence's budget spent on contributions to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme for the period 2002-03 to 2007-08 is set out in the following table. It is not possible to calculate percentages out to 2050-51 as the Ministry of Defence does not know what its budget will be for this period; the Defence budget for 2008-09 to 2010-11 will be set in the comprehensive spending review.
	
		
			  AFPS as a percentage of Defence spending 
			   Percentage 
			 2002-03 8.1 
			 2003-04 9.8 
			 2004-05 9.0 
			 2005-06 11.3 
			 2006-07 11.8 
			 2007-08 12.8

Armed Forces: Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value was of the war disablement pension in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: War pension is awarded at different rates and is based on the degree of disablement caused as a result of service in HM forces. The weekly 100 per cent. rate of basic war disablement pension since 1997 payable is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 1997 107 
			 1998 111 
			 1999 115 
			 2000 116 
			 2001 120 
			 2002 122 
			 2003 124 
			 2004 127 
			 2005 131 
			 2006 135 
			 2007 140 
		
	
	The maximum tax free weekly war disablement pension, including allowances that could be payable to a single, very seriously disabled war pensioner since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 1997 386 
			 1998 400 
			 1999 413 
			 2000 418 
			 2001 431 
			 2002 439 
			 2003 446 
			 2004 459 
			 2005 473 
			 2006 486 
			 2007 503

Armed Forces: Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans are in receipt of a war disablement pension, broken down by percentage assessment of disability.

Derek Twigg: The number of veterans in receipt of a war disablement pension, broken down by percentage assessment of disability is reported quarterly and presented in Table 1.6 of the War Pensions Quarterly Statistics, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The publication is also available on the Defence Analytical Services Agency website:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/natstats/pensions/pensions tab16.html

Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of future rapid effect system vehicles will be required to be manufactured in the UK.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 25 June 2007
	The FRES programme is currently in its assessment phase. In common with all equipment programmes, the decision on where manufacture will take place will be confirmed when the main investment decision has been taken. It is envisaged that the majority of the vehicles will be manufactured in the UK but existing production lines located overseas may be used to manufacture initial batches of FRES vehicles in order to promote early delivery. We are clear, however, that the intellectual property rights, design authority, and systems architecture of the final FRES vehicle must reside in the UK.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role he intends  (a) the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) and  (b) the EU Defence Agency to play in the future rapid effect system project.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 25 June 2007
	For the Utility variant, on current plans, there is no scope to collaborate at the overall programme level but there is scope for co-operation at the sub-system level. The Reconnaissance, Fires and Support vehicle families are also likely to offer further opportunities for co-operative working.

Army Board: Housing

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the running costs were of the housing provided by his Department for members of the Army Board in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The Army Board members who live in Official Service Residences are the Chief of the General Staff (COS), Commander-in-Chief Land (C-in-C Land), Adjutant General (AG) and the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland (GOC NI). The Assistant Chief of the General Staff (ACGS) occupies accommodation rented from a private landlord at a cost of £1,403.50 per month, to which ACGS makes a contribution of approximately £100 per month.
	Information has not been retained for years prior to 1999-2000, or in GOC Northern Ireland's case prior to 2001-02. Available figures are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 COS 86,830 94,751 108,547 197,107 230,977 257,986 144,858 
			 C-in-C 144,548 235,375 155,978 179,751 145,338 129,674 183,676 
			 AG 6,656 54,963 48,909 159,574 147,057 107,242 90,790 
			 GOC NI — — 91,473 80,496 81,422 80,038 121,409 
			 TOTAL 238,034 385,089 404,907 616,928 604,794 574,940 540,733 
		
	
	The running cost for the General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland for 2005-06 is £1,806 more than that stated in my answer of 20 March 2007,  Official Report, column 749-750W. This answer was corrected in my answer of 24 May 2007,  Official Report, column 1379W. Neither answer included furniture within the maintenance cost, which is included above.

Departments: Lobbying

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many lobbying companies his Department engaged on  (a) a paid and  (b) an unpaid basis in each of the last five years; and for what purpose.

Bob Ainsworth: Over the last five years, the Department engaged lobbying companies as follows:
	2002: one company (paid);
	2003: one company (paid);
	2004: one company (paid);
	2005: two companies (one paid, one unpaid);
	2006: two companies (both paid);
	2007: one company (paid).
	for the provision of advice on relations with Congress to the Defence Equipment organisation in the British embassy in Washington, DC, USA on the promotion of British interests in the defence equipment and defence industrial fields in relation to Congress.

Departments: Public Participation

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many public consultations his Department undertook in the last 12 months; and what the cost was of each consultation.

Derek Twigg: Information on the number and cost of public consultations conducted by MOD is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Surveys

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Senior Civil Service Survey 2006.

Derek Twigg: Yes. I have today arranged for the document to be placed in the Library of the House.

Ex-servicemen: Health

Bill Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are to be put in place to monitor the health status, including DNA and gene damage, of serving and former servicemen and servicewomen potentially exposed to ionizing and depleted uranium; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: In March 2003, the MOD established a research programme into the physical and psychological health of personnel deployed (regulars, reservists and MOD civilians) on Operation Telic (Op Telic) as part of its duty of care to serving personnel and in response to lessons learned from the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict. A team led by Professor Simon Wessely at King's Centre for Military Health Research has been carrying out the bulk of this research. The first findings were published in the Lancet last year and there is so far no sign of the repeat of Gulf veterans' illnesses in Service personnel coming back from Iraq. The other main finding of a slightly increased level of common mental health problems in reserve personnel who served in Iraq is being addressed through a package of additional healthcare. We have agreed a three year extension to our original Op Telic research project and Service personnel deployed to Afghanistan (Operation Herrick) will now specifically be covered by it.
	Our biological monitoring policy is that all military personnel and civilians on recent operations, such as Iraq (Op Telic), and any future operations involving use of depleted uranium (DU) are offered a test for total uranium in the urine. A test for uranium isotopes, which determines whether the uranium is depleted, is offered if the initial test for the total uranium gives anomalous results. Around 390 personnel have taken this test. A separate screening programme overseen by the Depleted Uranium Oversight Board (DUOB) tested a total of 496 veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf Conflict and Balkans operations. I announced the publication of the final report of the DUOB on 26 March 2007,  Official Report, column 64WS.

Future Rapid Effect System

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the aim of keeping the intellectual property rights and the design authority of the Future Rapid Effect System within the UK is compatible with the boxer vehicle design proposed by Artec and managed by OCCAR.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 28 June 2007
	Yes. UK residence of intellectual property rights (IPR) and design authority status is a key objective of the defence industrial strategy and meeting this objective was a precondition for entry into the FRES utility vehicle design competition.

Galileo Project

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a representative of his Department has attended meetings on the Galileo project in the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Department for Transport (DFT) is the lead Government Department for Galileo. MOD policy officials, along with officials from other Government Departments, provide DFT advice on wider issues.
	In addition, the British National Space Centre (BNSC) has contracted satellite navigation experts from the Defence Scientific and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), an MOD executive agency, to provide technical support to the UK's involvement in the EU's Galileo civil satellite navigation programme.
	They have regularly attended meetings on Galileo since the earliest days of the programme.

Gurkhas: Pensions

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve the pensions of Gurkhas who have served more than 21 years with the British army.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 29 June 2007
	The changes necessary to implement the new terms and conditions for Gurkhas that I announced earlier this year have now started. In the particular case of pensions, we propose to offer serving and retired Gurkhas who served on or after 1 July 1997, when the Brigade became home based in the UK, the opportunity to transfer to one of two armed forces pension schemes, with a planned transfer date of 1 October 2007. This will allow Gurkhas to choose the pension scheme which best meets their personal circumstances.

TREASURY

Departments: European Union

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in his Department are  (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations,  (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission,  (c) seconded to the European Commission,  (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives,  (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and  (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice.

Jane Kennedy: Officials throughout the Treasury are involved in a full range of EU business. Those working specifically on EU business in the International and Finance Directorate in the Treasury total 37. A breakdown of the figures as requested would incur disproportionate cost.

Informers

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1284W, on informers, when Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) commenced taking account of Association of Chief Police Officers' guidelines in calculating rewards to informers; and what the statutory basis is for HMRC taking such guidelines into account.

Dawn Primarolo: Since the merger of the former Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise to form HM Revenue and Customs on 18 April 2005 all reward payments made by HMRC have followed the relevant ACPO principals.
	ACPO guidance does not have a statutory basis in law, but is recognised as "best practice" within the Law Enforcement environment.

Inheritance Tax: Gifts and Endowments

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will increase the limit of the annual exemption from inheritance tax for gifts; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Under the current inheritance tax rules, most gifts made more than seven years before death are not regarded as within the chargeable estate for tax purposes. Gifts made within this period are brought within the taxable estate; however they will only be subject to IHT where the taxable estate exceeds the nil-rate band of £300,000. Where gifts made within this period may be liable to IHT, there is an exemption of £3,000 each year; there are also various other gifts reliefs available. The Government keep all taxes under review.

National Insurance Fund

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the surplus or deficit on the National Insurance Fund was in each year since 1979.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is provided in the National Insurance Fund Accounts that are published annually. Copies of the accounts are available in the Library of the House.

Public Expenditure: Northamptonshire

Peter Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what public expenditure per head in real terms was for  (a) Northamptonshire,  (b) Wellingborough constituency,  (c) Kettering constituency and  (d) Corby constituency in each year from 2001-02 to 2006-07.

Andy Burnham: Information on total identifiable expenditure per capita for each region of England is set out in the HM Treasury publication, 'Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) 2007', May 2007. This provides outturn data from 2001-02 to 2005-06 and planned outturn for 2006-07. The PESA publication is available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/economic_data_and_tools/finance_spending_statistics/pes_publications/pespub_pesa07.cfm.
	The Government do not currently disaggregate spending data below regional level.

Welfare Tax Credits: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was overpaid to recipients of tax credits in Peterborough constituency in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Estimates of the numbers of families with tax credits awards, including information on overpayments and underpayments by constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes, for 2005-06, is available in the HMRC publication 'Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Awards 2005-06. Supplements on Payments. Geographical Analysis', which is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geoq-stats.htm.

Working Families Tax Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much working families tax credit was  (a) overpaid and  (b) underpaid due to (i) error and (ii) fraud in each year that the credit was available.

Jane Kennedy: The estimated level of error and fraud by value under the working families tax credit is published in paragraph 5 of the Introduction note in the HMRC publication "Child and Working Tax Credits. Error and Fraud Statistics 2003-04", which is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/error-fraud.htm

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Ordnance Survey: Copyright

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what revenue the Ordnance Survey raised from selling licensable or copyright material to  (a) schools and public educational establishments,  (b) commercial cartographers and  (c) software developers in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 29 June 2007
	Ordnance Survey revenue from licensing data and from sales of products and services directly attributable to the schools and public educational establishments for each of the five years from 2002-03 to 2006-07 was £436,188, £461,064, £428,274, £280,334 and £304,837 respectively.
	Revenue information is not held separately for the specific categories of commercial cartographer or software developer. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Voluntary Organisations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what action the Government are taking to support efforts by local public bodies and voluntary groups to strengthen their practice on local sector independence.

John Healey: As part of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office are leading a review of the role of the third sector in social and economic regeneration. The role of local voluntary and community groups is central to the review.
	Communities and Local Government have been actively involved in the review and supported the activity on strengthening communities. We also published our Third Sector Strategy discussion document on 7 June which invites comments on how we can help strengthen the relationship between the sector and local government.

SCOTLAND

Departments: Consultants

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the Department spent on  (a) management consultants and  (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period.

David Cairns: The following table provides information on consultancies, none of which was greater than £10 million.
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			  2001-02  
			 Comparison study on motor taxation across Europe 5,465 
			 Professional services in relation to a proposed Scotland to Northern Ireland ferry service 17,864 
			  2002-03  
			 Professional services in relation to a proposed Scotland to Northern Ireland ferry service 4,620 
			 Report on devolution in Europe 6,100 
			  2003-04  
			 Senior Civil Service Assessment Centre 10,044 
			  2004-05  
			 Management Review and Assessment Centre for Head of Scotland Office 2,817 
			  2005-06  
			 None 0 
			  2006-07  
			 None 0

Departments: European Union

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials in his Department are  (a) involved in assisting European Council negotiations,  (b) involved in assisting and advising the European Commission,  (c) seconded to the European Commission,  (d) involved in monitoring EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives,  (e) involved in enforcing compliance with EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and  (f) involved in other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office has a small team of policy officials who, among a range of other responsibilities, provide advice and guidance, on request, to UK Government Departments on any Scottish devolution aspects of European Council negotiations, the monitoring and enforcement of EU decisions, communications, regulations and directives and other work related to the European Council, Commission or Court of Justice.
	The Scotland Office does not assist or advise the European Commission, nor does the Scotland Office have officials seconded to the European Commission.

Departments: Pay

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many bonuses were awarded to senior civil servants working at the Department and its agencies in each year between 1997 and 2006; and what the total cost of those bonuses was.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Members of the senior civil service in the Scotland Office are seconded from the Scottish Executive; their bonuses are assessed under a framework set by the Cabinet Office. The Scotland Office does not hold central information on such bonuses.

Departments: Performance Appraisal

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff in his Department did not achieve an acceptable mark in their annual report in 2006-07.

David Cairns: All the staff in the Scotland Office are on secondment from the Scottish Executive or the Ministry of Justice who hold the individual personnel records, including annual performance. Poor performance is dealt with by line management within the procedures prescribed by the parent Departments. The Office does not maintain a central record of the performance of staff.

Departments: Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of sick leave taken by staff in his Department was stress-related in each of the last three years.

David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answers that I gave him on 26 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1131W and 16 May 2007,  Official Report, column 764W.

Departments: Surveys

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff surveys his Department undertook in the last 12 months; and at what total cost.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office undertook one staff survey in 2006 at no cost.

WALES

Departments: Common Purpose

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department paid to Common Purpose in each of the last five years; for what purpose; and what the outcome of the expenditure was.

Peter Hain: Nil.

Departments: Pay

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many bonuses were awarded to senior civil servants working at his Department in each year between 1997 and 2006; and what the total cost of those bonuses was.

Peter Hain: On its creation in 1999 the Wales Office initially had two senior civil servants, but since 2000 has had only one. This is the director post, which has been held by two individuals since 1999.
	The director has been subject to performance related pay, in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance. The current scheme can be found on the Cabinet Office's Civil Service website.
	The pay, including any bonus, of the director is reported by salary range in our annual departmental reports, which are available in the House Library and on the Wales Office website.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in the Department of Work and Pensions on the level of assistance afforded to former Allied Steel and Wire workers under the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: The Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) allows all members of affected pension schemes to receive payments of 80 per cent. of their pension, which is a substantial replacement of scheme members' pensions.
	Up to 27 June 2007, 37 former ASW (Cardiff) members are in receipt of FAS initial payments.
	A review led by Andrew Young of the Government Actuary's Department is currently examining whether better use can be made of scheme assets and other potential funding sources, with a view to providing greater levels of help to those who have lost their pensions as a result of scheme collapse. The review is due to report by the end of the year, with an interim report due shortly.

Patients

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on waiting times for hospital treatment in England of patients from Wales.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, including the delivery of cross border health services.
	The number of Welsh patients waiting over eight months for in-patient or day-case treatment has dropped from 7,218 in April 2006 to none at the end of May 2007. This includes patients from Wales receiving treatment in hospitals in England.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Drugs

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to reduce opium production in Afghanistan.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government supports the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy, a key priority of which is to strengthen and diversify legal livelihoods which free farmers and other rural workers from dependence on poppy cultivation.
	DFID has provided £77 million from 2005 to 2007 to support the development of legal rural livelihoods, much of which has been channelled through the Government of Afghanistan's own National Priority Programmes.
	Alternatives to opium poppy can take many forms. There is no one single crop which will replace poppy, and therefore DFID has provided £3 million to support research into a range of alternatives including high value crops such as mint and saffron. Traditional alternatives include crops such as wheat and onions.
	However, alternatives to poppy come not only in the form of different crops. They can often be non-farm activities such as clothes-making and shop keeping. The Government of Afghanistan's Microfinance Investment Support Facility of Afghanistan (MISFA) has provided over £133 million worth of small loans to 364,786 Afghan families to help them invest in their own licit businesses. MISFA operates in 23 provinces, including Helmand. DFID has provided £15 million to MISFA since March 2004. Nearly 75 per cent. of those receiving loans are women.
	DFID also provided £18 million in 2005-06 to the Government of Afghanistan's National Rural Access Programme (NRAP), which has so far built or repaired over 9,000 km of roads—essential for rural farmers to access markets. So far the programme has generated over 13 million days of labour for Afghans. NRAP operates in all 34 provinces.
	DFID has also provided £42.6 million in total for the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) and is providing £10.6 million to roll out NSP in Helmand province (2006 to 2009). NSP is helping elected Community Development Councils (CDCs), representing over 17,000 communities across Afghanistan, identify development priorities in their areas and then receive grants to undertake the work. NSP has funded over 28,000 projects in agriculture, education, health, irrigation, power supply, transport, and water supply. NSP currently operates in all 34 provinces.
	DFID is making a contribution of £22.7 million over three years (as part of an overall UK Government contribution of £30 million) to the Government of Afghanistan's Counter Narcotics Trust Fund. The fund brings funding for counter narcotics into the national budget, gives the Afghans greater responsibility for managing the drugs problem and ensures money is targeted effectively.

India: Education

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to support education in rural areas of  (a) India and  (b) Pakistan.

Shahid Malik: DFID has been supporting the Indian Government's flagship Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) universal elementary education programme, together with the World Bank and the European Commission, for the last five years to increase educational opportunities, particularly in rural areas where 75 per cent. of school-age children live. DFID has spent £210 million over the five years 2003-04 to 2007-08 in support of SSA. Over the same period the World Bank has contributed £330 million and the EC £100 million. SSA is the central Government's prime vehicle for delivering on the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Millennium Development Goal (MDG), and the 2002 constitutional amendment that made elementary education a fundamental right in the country. The aim is to ensure that by 2010 all children in India are receiving eight years of basic education of acceptable quality, regardless of sex, caste, creed, family income or location.
	SSA is a priority for the Indian Government, which last year spent over £1.5 billion on the programme. Over 90 per cent. of India's Government elementary schools are in rural areas and SSA has a particular focus on these institutions. Very good progress is being made:
	The number of out of school children has fallen from 25 million in 2003 to 9.6 million in 2006 and the majority of the 15 million plus children that have been brought to school are from rural areas;
	Drop out rates have fallen, particularly in rural areas;
	Strong progress has been made towards gender and social equity, including for Scheduled Caste children, Scheduled Tribe children and children with disabilities, particularly in rural areas; and
	The gap in education indicators between rural and urban areas is narrowing. Rural primary enrolment rates are now just 3 per cent. behind those of urban areas. In rural areas there are now 89 girls for every 100 boys enrolled, compared to 94 girls for every 100 boys in urban areas. Examination pass rates are now almost identical in rural and urban areas.
	DFID and its development partners are currently preparing a second phase of external support to SSA. The support will have a strong focus on raising the quality of education, through teacher development, improved assessment systems, better school management and improved classroom practices.
	In addition to SSA, DFID has just approved £35 million of support for Mahila Samakhya (MS), promoting Education for Women's Equality. This is the Government of India's main programme for tackling women's empowerment through education. It supports mostly rural women to organise into village level collectives called Mahila Sanghas, which empower women to resist violence; to gain better access to education and health services; to open up economic opportunities such as microfinance; and enhance women's role in local government.
	DFID's education programme in Pakistan does not focus on rural areas specifically. We generally work through the Federal and Provincial Governments to promote system reforms so our support benefits all, including urban, rural and remote areas.
	DFID is supporting nationwide educational development through the Gender and Education Policy Support Project (£3.5 million over four years) and the National Education Assessment System (£700,000 over five years). Both of these jointly funded programmes benefit rural areas.
	DFID is also funding education activities in specific parts of the country. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) DFID is supporting a Community Participation Education Project (£550,000 over two years) covering four districts, most of which are rural. DFID support to the Faisalabad Devolution Project (£6.4 million over four years) includes support to develop the strategic and management capacities in the education sector in the Faisalabad district, including support for the improvement of individual schools, many of which are in rural areas. In the Punjab province more widely DFID is contributing £30 million over four years to the Asia Development Bank-led Punjab Devolved Social Services Programme, 17 per cent. of which is for support to education.
	DFID contribution to the reconstruction of the earthquake affected areas has a substantial element of this funding is for education, reconstruction and rehabilitation, with much of the earthquake affected areas being rural. We have agreed so far to contribute £44 million in budget support and technical assistance.

Palestinians: Asylum

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent  (a) estimate has been made of the number and  (b) assessment has been made of the humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees on the Iraq-Syrian border; and what support the UK has offered.

Shahid Malik: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimate that there are 1,400 Palestinians living in refugee camps on the Iraq-Syrian border. The UNHCR have visited these camps and are providing emergency support. We are in contact with our international partners and aid agencies regarding the situation for displaced peoples both within Iraq and in neighbouring countries, including the Palestinian community, which UNHCR estimates to number about 15,000 people in Iraq itself.
	In 2007, DFID has contributed £1.5 million to the UNHCR regional appeal and £15 million for UN Relief and Works Agency's (UNRWA) work among refugees in the middle east. Both the UNHCR and UNRWA are providing support to Palestinians who are living in refugee camps on the Iraq/Syria border. We have also contributed £7 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to support vulnerable groups including displaced Iraqis and Palestinians living in Iraq.

Palestinians: Transport

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with international colleagues on Palestinian development, with particular reference to the development of a Palestinian  (a) airport and  (b) port.

Shahid Malik: My right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State for International Development held regular discussions with international colleagues on Palestinian development and I will continue to do so.
	Under the UK presidency, the EU led in negotiations with the parties and Secretary Rice to agree the Agreement on Movement and Access which was signed by Israel and the Palestinians in November 2005. This Agreement states that construction of a seaport should commence. The Agreement also notes the importance of an airport in Gaza and recommends that discussions on construction, security and operations should begin. Despite this Agreement, negotiations on the seaport and airport are currently on hold.
	At this difficult time in Gaza the urgent priorities are to ensure sufficient and regular supplies to meet the basic needs of Gaza's 1.3 million people and to re-open external trade. However, in the longer term, establishing reliable access to the outside world will be essential for sustainable economic development, poverty reduction and a viable Palestinian state.
	The Government regularly raise their concerns on movement and access restrictions with the Israeli Authorities.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Pilot Schemes: Data Networks

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the trial introduced in North Tyneside following the GNN report, 'Data Sharing can lead to Faster, More Efficient Services', will be extended to a further six local authorities; and if he will consider Thanet as a location for one of the next pilot schemes.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 2 July 2007
	The joint working pilots to extend the trial carried out in North Tyneside to a further six local authorities will run for three months from around September and will be evaluated early in 2008. Six local authorities have been invited to participate and we are awaiting their response. Final selection of the six local authorities is ongoing pending these responses.
	We are looking to test across a mix of different types of local authority, including London, Scotland, Wales, rural, urban and large conurbation and selection will also take into account factors such as caseload and performance.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) individuals and  (b) households who were in receipt of (i) housing benefit and (ii) council tax benefit were also in receipt of (A) income support, (B) family credit and (C) any other state means-tested assistance in (1) 1992-93, (2) 1997-98 and (3) 2005-06.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The most recent available information is May 2004. The available information for DWP administered benefits is in the following table.
	
		
			  Housing benefit and council tax benefit recipients, by receipt of other benefit( 1) : in Great Britain, May 1992, May 1997 and May 2004 
			   Housing  b enefit  Council  tax benefit 
			  May 1992   
			 All 4,328,000 6,550,000 
			 With Income Support(2) 2,598,000 3,786,000 
			 With Family Credit 92,000 122,000 
			 With other income related benefits(3) 7,000 10,000 
			 May 1997   
			 All 4,639,000 5,499,000 
			 With Income Support 2,330,000 2,808,000 
			 With Family Credit 242,000 225,000 
			 With other income related benefits(3) 683,000 672,000 
			
			  May 2004   
			 All 3,879,000 4,759,000 
			 With Income Support 1,476,000 1,541,000 
			 With Family Credit (4)— (4)— 
			 With other income related benefits(3) 1,515,000 2,148,000 
			 (1) Figures refer to cases where either the claimant or the partner was in receipt of other benefits.  (2) Figures include income support for the unemployed in 1992.  (3) Other state income-related benefits are disability working allowance in 1992-97, income-based jobseeker's allowance in 1997-2004 and pension credit in 2004.  (4) Denotes not applicable; working families tax credit replaced family credit in 1999.   Notes:  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.  2. HB data excludes any extended payment cases.  3. CTB data excludes second adult rebate cases.  4. Income support for the unemployed was replaced by income-based jobseeker's allowance in October 1996.  5. Pension credit replaced minimum income guarantee (MIG) in October 2003 and extended IS entitlement to customers aged 60+.   Source:  Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) individuals and  (b) households were in receipt of (i) income support, (ii) family credit, (iii) housing benefit, (iv) council tax benefit and (v) tax credits in (A) 1992-93, (B) 1997-98 and (C) 2005-06; and what the total was of these benefits.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following tables. Information about tax credits is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	
		
			  Income support claimants in Great Britain as at May in each of the years shown 
			   Number 
			 1992 5,112,000 
			 1997 3,977,100 
			 2005 2,150,760 
			  Notes:  1. May 1992 figures are produced from a one per cent sample, uprated to WPLS totals and rounded to the nearest thousand.  2. May 1997 figures are produced from a 5 per cent. sample, uprated to WPLS totals and rounded to the nearest hundred.  3. May 2005 figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  4. The information for 1997 includes minimum income guarantee; pension credit replaced minimum income guarantee in October 2003   Source:  DWP Information Directorate one per cent five per cent sample and 100 per cent WPLS 
		
	
	
		
			  Family credit claimants in Great Britain at May in each year shown 
			   Number 
			 1992 396,700 
			 1997 748,000 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest one hundred.  2. Working families tax credit replaced family credit in 1999.   Source:  DWP Information Directorate five per cent sample. 
		
	
	
		
			  Housing benefit and council tax benefit claimants in Great Britain at May in each year shown 
			   Housing b enefit  Council tax benefit 
			 1992 4,325,500 6,563,940 
			 1997 4,639,350 5,498,250 
			 2005 3,956,820 4,959,690 
			  Notes:  1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.  2. Caseloads have been rounded to the nearest 10.  3. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.  4. Council tax benefit figures exclude any second adult rebate cases.  5. Figures for any non-responding local authorities have been estimated.   Source:  Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count.

Social Security Benefits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals were living in households where one or more persons in those households received  (a) an income-related benefit,  (b) personal tax credit,  (c) an income-related benefit or any personal tax credit and (d) any income related-benefit and any personal tax credit in (i) 1997-98 and (ii) 2005-06.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the following table. Information about tax credits is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
	
		
			  Income-related benefit recipients in Great Britain as at May 1997 and May 2004 
			   All  Claimants  Partners 
			 May 1997 9,140,000 7,530,000 1,610,000 
			 May 2004 7,790,000 6,510,000 1,290,000 
			  Notes:  1. Income-related benefits are income support (IS), income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA(IB)), pension credit (PC), housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB).  2. Overlaps between benefits have been removed.  3. Due to the estimation procedure used to remove the overlaps between housing benefit and council tax benefit, figures have been rounded to the nearest 10,000.  4. IS/JSA 5 per cent. figures have been uprated using 5 per cent. proportions against 100 per cent. totals of WPLS data.  5. HB data excludes any extended payment cases.  6. CTB data excludes second adult rebate cases.  7. Some income-based JSA claimants may also have entitlement to benefit via the contributory route.  8. Pension credit replaced minimum income guarantee (MIG) in October 2003 and extended IS entitlement to customers aged 60+.   Source:  Information Directorate, 5 per cent samples; 100 per cent. Work and Pensions longitudinal study; and, housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of failed asylum seekers and their dependants removed to their country of origin under the assisted voluntary return (AVR) scheme in 2006 were given help with reintegration through the provision of training, education or help starting a small business; what the average cost per person was of return under the AVR programme in 2006; and what criteria are used under the AVR programme in the selection of recipients for help with reintegration in their country of origin through the provision of training, education or help starting a small business.

Liam Byrne: Reintegration assistance is available to all those who return via the voluntary assisted return and reintegration programme (VARRP) one of a number of assisted voluntary return (AVR) schemes operated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on behalf of the Border and Immigration Agency. VARRP is the largest of the AVR schemes and the only one that includes reintegration assistance as standard.
	The average cost of an AVRIM return in 2006 was £1,434.23 per returnee.
	Reintegration assistance was taken up by 57 per cent. of those who returned through VARRP in the 2006 calendar year. The breakdown of this figure is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Starting a small business 87 
			 Provision of training 1 
			 Provision of education 1 
			 Other 11 
		
	
	Reintegration assistance is provided in kind in the country of return; however, during 2006 the enhanced package offered included the option to take phased cash payments. This is included in the "Other" category.
	The average cost of a VARRP return in 2006 was £2,024.59 per returnee. No criteria are used to select recipients for help with reintegration in their country of return as all those who return through VARRP are eligible.
	The other major AVR scheme is the assisted voluntary return for irregular migrants (AVRIM). Those who return via this scheme do not generally receive reintegration assistance. However, it can be considered for a limited number of vulnerable applicants who are likely to fall into categories such as victims of trafficking or unaccompanied minors.

Asylum: Iraq

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqis have  (a) applied for and  (b) been successful in gaining asylum in the United Kingdom in each year from 2003 to 2007.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 29 June 2007
	Information on asylum applications, initial decisions and appeals for nationals of Iraq is shown in the following table. Initial decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period. Appeal determinations do not necessarily relate to initial decisions made in the same period.
	Information on asylum applications, initial decisions and appeals for nationals of Iraq is published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		
			  Asylum applications( 1)  received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and initial decisions( 2)  on applications, 2003 to 2006, nationals of Iraq 
			  Principal applicants 
			   Applications 
			   Total  Port  In country 
			 2003 4,015 385 3,630 
			 2004 1,695 105 1,590 
			 2005 1,415 50 1,360 
			 2006(3) 950 105 850 
		
	
	
		
			  Principal applicants 
			   Decisions 
			   Total decisions  Grants of asylum  Grants of ELR  Grants of HP( 4)  Grants of DL( 4)  Total refusals  Certified refusals  Other refusals  Third  country refusals( 5)  Non-compliance refusals( 6) 
			 2003 6,805 70 2,105 * 45 4,580 50 3,575 465 490 
			 2004 4,815 10 n/a — 185 4,615 10 3,850 400 355 
			 2005 1,835 5 n/a 10 150 1,675 5 1,370 150 150 
			 2006(3) 730 30 n/a — 60 640 * 530 60 55 
			 n/a = Not applicable.  (1) Figures rounded to nearest 5, with * = 1 or 2.  (2 )Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (3 )Provisional figures.  (4 )Humanitarian protection and discretionary leave replaced exceptional leave to remain from 1 April 2003.  (5) Refused on the grounds that the applicant had arrived from a safe third country.  (6) Paragraph 340 of Immigration Rules. For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview.   Source:  Immigration and Research Statistics.

Departments: Good Communication Awards

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public expenditure her Department incurred to send staff to attend the Good Communication Awards on 30 May held at the Marriott Grosvenor Hotel, London.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office welcomes external endorsement of the high quality of its website. Two members of the website team attended the Good Communication Awards ceremony on 30 May. Tickets for the event were free, the staff attended in their own time and travelled at their own expense. There was no public expenditure cost incurred in attending.

Departments: Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of sick leave taken by staff in her Department was stress-related in each of the last three years.

Liam Byrne: The available information for Home Office Headquarters, Border and Immigration Agency and HMPS are as set out in the following table.
	Information concerning the Identity and Passport Service and the Criminal Records Bureau is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Public sector Prison Service data relate to absences due to mental and behavioural disorders which include, but are not exclusively to do with, stress related conditions.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Year ending 31 March 
			  Department  2004  2005  2006 
			 Home Office Headquarters 10.60 10.83 8.83 
			 Border and Immigration Agency 9.50 9.07 11.14 
			 HMPS Prison Service 25.00 23.80 23.50

Illegal Immigrants: Mauritania

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she had with her Mauritanian counterpart on assistance the UK can give to Mauritania to deal with illegal immigrants sailing from Mauritanian ports to European Union territory.

Liam Byrne: I have not had any meetings with my Mauritanian counterpart regarding any assistance the UK can give to deal with illegal immigrants sailing from Mauritanian ports to European Union territory. I am not aware that my predecessor had any such contact.

Immigration Controls: Passports

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes she proposes for the system of passport checks of people flying into the UK; and what steps she intends to take to reduce delays for passengers, with particular reference to those arriving this summer.

Liam Byrne: The level of staff working in frontline border control is at an all time high. Tough checks at our airports are imperative if we are to prevent illegal immigration, turn away criminals and maintain Britain's secure borders. For this reason we will continue to make every necessary check of those trying to gain entry.
	We recognise that we have a responsibility to process genuine passengers without delay but the safety and security of the public is our priority.

Immigration: Crime

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested by the police for immigration offences in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The information requested regarding all those arrested is not collated centrally by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform and could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.

Written Questions

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to answer question 109676, on Harmondsworth Immigration Detention Centre, tabled by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam on 13 December 2006.

Tony McNulty: My right hon. Friend, the former Home Secretary, replied to the hon. Member on 26 June 2007,  Official Report, column 716W.

Yarl's Wood Detention Centre

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007 to question 144841, on Yarl's Wood Detention Centre, how the prices charged by the contractor are independently monitored to ensure there is no overcharging.

Liam Byrne: The shop prices at Yarl's Wood are not charged by the monitor but are set in line with the Recommended Retail Price. Accounts are returned to the monitor on a monthly basis and are checked to ensure that the profit margin remains below 10 per cent.

Yarl's Wood Detention Centre

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007 to question 144839, on Yarl's Wood Detention Centre, for what reasons women are held in confinement away from the main accommodation areas; for what periods of time; for what reasons satellite news broadcasts were not available on  (a) 26 April to 4 May,  (b) 9 to 10 May and  (c) 22 to 23 May; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The reasons why women may be held in temporary confinement, away from the main accommodation areas, are governed by the Detention Centre Rules 2001, Rule 42, and Paragraphs 1 to 8. Detainees are held in temporary confinement due to their refractory or violent behaviour, but only because that behaviour presents a risk to either themselves, to others or to the good order and discipline of the centre. The average length of stay in temporary confinement is one day.
	Sky satellite news broadcasts were temporarily unavailable during the period of transition between Global Solutions Ltd. and Serco, 26 April to 4 May, due to a payment problem to the supplier and difficulties tuning the system to the correct channels. These problems were resolved and detainee choice continues to govern channel selection. During the other dates mentioned the full Sky satellite service including Sky news was available to all residents.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departments: Consultants

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Department spent on  (a) management consultants and  (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period.

Shaun Woodward: The following table indicates how much the Department spent on  (a) management consultants and  (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000.
	
		
			   (a) Spend on management consultants  (b) Spend on other external consultants and advisers 
			 2000-01 (1)51,840.00 (1)707,026.00 
			 2001-02 (1)384,880.29 (1)322,664.10 
			 2002-03 1,035,134.15 1,280,635.83 
			 2003-04 1,503,126.34 1,947,273.74 
			 2004-05 1,623,616.44 1,482,823.21 
			 2005-06 1,169,737.51 2,497,137.22 
			 2006-07 481,797.38 1,678,098.72 
			 (1) There was limited information available for the periods 2000-01 and 2001-02. 
		
	
	No consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Bingo

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effects of the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 on the bingo industry; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: An assessment of the impact of implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 on the bingo industry has not been carried out since the Act does not come fully into force until September 2007.
	The estimated costs of implementation to the gambling industry, including bingo, were set out in the 'Regulatory Impact Assessment' which was published in April 2005 with the Gambling Act 2005.
	In addition, impact assessments are prepared for each element of the secondary legislation required to implement the Gambling Act 2005. These are published with the related explanatory memorandum document on the Office for Public Sector Information website, and separately in the better regulation section of the Department's website www.culture.gov.uk.

Cricket: Curriculum

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps have been taken to facilitate the introduction of cricket into the wider state school sports education curriculum.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government are committed to increasing the amount of physical education and sport in schools. This includes cricket which may be taught in schools as part of National Curriculum PE. Cricket is one of 25 sports helping to deliver the National School Sport Strategy. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) which is the National Governing Body for cricket has received £1.8 million to date to deliver their objectives for the Club Links and Step into Sport programmes within the Strategy.
	The 2005-06 School Sport Survey found that cricket is the 5(th) most popular sport among schools in a school sport partnership, with 89 per cent. of schools offering it to their pupils. The survey also found that cricket was the second most popular sport in terms of club links, with 52 per cent. of schools having links with a local cricket club.
	We have established over 100 cricket Community Sports Coaches through the CSC scheme. The majority of CSCs time is spent within the school setting.
	Since 2003, Sport England has allocated £14.15 million of Community Club Development Programme (CCDP) funding to the (ECB) to help community sports clubs develop, or redevelop their sports facilities. Early evaluation of CCDP indicates that, since 2003-04, it has made a key contribution to an increase in links between community sports clubs and schools.
	Sport England has awarded £4.5 million during the period 2005-08 of Sports Lottery Funding to the ECB's "Chance to Shine" initiative for young people, which aims to regenerate competitive cricket in state schools.

Departments: Performance Appraisal

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in his Department did not achieve an acceptable mark in their annual report in 2006-07.

Margaret Hodge: DCMS changed its appraisal system from 2006-07. The appraisal system now contains two performance categories; successful and needs to improve.
	Based on the 2006-07 appraisal reports received to date, there are only six staff in the needs to improve category.

Departments: Public Transport

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the number of its staff using public transport to commute.

Margaret Hodge: No estimate has been of the number of staff in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport using public transport to commute. However there are no car parking spaces available for staff and presumably staff must either use public transport, bicycles or walk to work.

Holidays: Pets

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the British Tourist Board on increasing the number of pet-friendly  (a) hotels,  (b) bed and breakfast,  (c) holiday parks and  (d) holiday resorts.

Margaret Hodge: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor my right hon. Friends the Members for St. Helens, South (Mr. Woodward) and for Dulwich and West Norwood (Tessa Jowell) have discussed this issue with VisitBritain, which has performed the statutory functions of the British Tourism Authority since 2003.
	VisitBritain currently operates the Pets Come Too! marketing campaign, as one of its range of Welcome Schemes. The campaign is designed to make international and domestic visitors to England aware of hotels, bed and breakfast establishments, and providers of self-catering accommodation, which welcome pets.

Olympic Games: Greater London

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much each sports lottery contributor will contribute to the Lottery funding package for the 2012 Olympics.

Gerry Sutcliffe: £340 million of National Lottery funding is to come via expenditure by the sports lottery distributors. Of this, £50.5 million (from Sport England) will be spent by the Olympic delivery authority on delivering the venues for the Games. £40 million towards the costs of the aquatic centre and £10.5 million on the velopark. The distributors themselves will determine and spend the remaining £289.5 million on continuing support for elite athletes and coaches, facilities for elite and community use, and community programmes.
	In addition to this contribution, as my right hon. Friend the Member for Dulwich and West Norwood (Tessa Jowell) announced on 15 March, it is proposed that the Sport lottery distributors will contribute the following sums to the Olympic funding package between 2009 and 2012.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Sports Council  Lottery Contribution 
			 Sport England 99.956 
			 Sport Scotland 13.059 
			 Sports Council for Wales 7.255 
			 Sports Council for Northern Ireland 4.192 
		
	
	I would also refer the hon. Member to the written statement of 27 June 2007,  Official Report, column 29WS, which provides details of the revised Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and the Mayor and the arrangement by which the London Development Agency (LDA) and the Lottery will be reimbursed from proceeds from the sale of the relevant LDA-owned land following the games.
	Copies of the revised Memorandum of Understanding are available in the House Library.

Sports

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether  (a) the Youth Sport Trust,  (b) the Association for Physical Education and  (c) Sports Coach UK were consulted on the development of county sports partnerships; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: County sports partnerships (CSPs) are independent organisations created by local partners to provide a forum for the development of sport across a clearly defined sub regional area. Many CSPs have been in existence for some years.
	As independent organisations, it is for local partners to decide who to consult and involve in their development. CSPs are key to the delivery of school and community sport and the Youth Sports Trust and Sports Coach UK are actively engaged in working with CSPs across the country.

Video Games: Violence

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the regulation of violent video games.

Margaret Hodge: None. But Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Baroness Scotland of Asthal and my right hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Joan Ryan) represented the UK at the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the Council of the European Union held on 12 and 13 June where violent video games were discussed. A statement setting out the outcome of the Council's discussions was laid in Parliament on 27 June.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Children in Care: Runaway Children

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in the care of a local authority have been reported to the police as missing; and for how many of these children the whereabouts are unknown.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Children: Databases

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received on the National Children's database on data protection and confidentiality.

Beverley Hughes: We have consulted widely at every stage throughout the design and development of ContactPoint and have received a number of representations about compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and about confidentiality. We have worked closely with the Information Commissioner's Office and continue to enjoy an open and constructive relationship with them. We are confident that ContactPoint is fully compliant with the DPA and that the confidentiality of children, young people and their families have been taken into account.
	The fourth data protection principle provides that data shall be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. The draft Children Act 2004 Information Database (England) Regulations 2007, laid before Parliament on 25 June, will bring ContactPoint into operation. The draft regulations provide that local authorities and other suppliers of data to the system must take reasonable steps to ensure that the data is accurate.
	Each local authority will be responsible for the records of children in their area and will have dedicated resources, funded by my Department, to carry out data matching and cleansing to ensure the accuracy and quality of the data held on ContactPoint. The DPA provides that individuals have the right to see personal data held about them and to have it corrected, where applicable. Draft statutory ContactPoint guidance, currently out for consultation until 27 July, sets out how local authorities are expected to handle requests from children and their parents to see their information on ContactPoint and to have any inaccuracies resolved.
	The confidentiality and security of the information held on ContactPoint—basic identifying information on all children in England and contact details of practitioners providing services to them—is a key priority. Details of practitioners providing sensitive services, defined as sexual health, mental health and substance abuse, may only be added to ContactPoint with the informed and explicit consent of the child, young person or, where appropriate, their parent. These sensitive service practitioner contact details will be hidden from the view of users. Local authority ContactPoint teams will broker contact between the sensitive service provider and another practitioner who considers that there is good reason to know who is providing the sensitive service.
	There will also be special arrangements to protect the records of children whose circumstances may mean that they are at increased risk, for example, where they are fleeing domestic violence. Information that could reveal the whereabouts of the child can be hidden from the view of ContactPoint users. Decisions to do this will be taken on a case by case basis and will be based on the level of threat posed if information becomes more widely available. This is entirely consistent with the principles of the DPA.

Children: Social Services

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on  (a) the development of social partnership arrangements to cover the children's workforce and  (b) pay benefits agreements for specialist and professional Children's Services' staff; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: I do not believe we are in a position currently to develop social partnership arrangements for the children's workforce as a whole. The Department has however asked the Children's Workforce Development Council to consider what mechanisms might be employed to bring together key children's workforce stakeholders to consider the issues arising out of CWDC's recruitment, retention and rewards report.
	The Department has no intention to introduce pay benefits agreements for specialist and professional Children's Services staff.

Children: Social Services

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent from the Transformation Fund for the development of the child care workforce.

Beverley Hughes: Our current estimate of the total spent in 2006-07 from the Transformation Fund is £37 million.

Education: Unitary Councils

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the bids of local authorities shortlisted for unitary status on education provision in those areas;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the local authorities seeking unitary status which appeared on the shortlist published by the Department for Communities and Local Government on 27 March 2006;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the possible impact on child protection and vulnerable groups of children and young people of potential structural changes to local government.

Beverley Hughes: The decision as to which proposals for unitary local authorities should proceed to stakeholder consultation reflected the collective decision of Government. All the 26 unitary proposals that were received in response to the invitation issued on 26 October 2006 were assessed against the five criteria set out in that invitation. The 16 unitary proposals that have been subject to the stakeholder consultation will now be reassessed against the same five criteria, having regard to all the information available, including that received in response to the consultation.

Primary Education: Drugs

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1158W, on primary education: drugs 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the percentage of children at  (a) Key Stage 1 and  (b) Key Stage 2 who are receiving drugs education, as set out in the guidance; and what assessment he has made of the impact of this guidance in teaching young children to resist pressure to take drugs;
	(2)  on what date his Department started work on the new drugs strategy on which he plans to consult;
	(3)  what guidance existed on this subject prior to 2004.

Kevin Brennan: The Department's current guidance, "Drugs: Guidance for Schools (DfES 2004)", replaced a number of publications for schools on drug issues, including the Department's guidance "Circular 4/95: Drug Prevention and Schools", and the guidance "Protecting Young People: Good practice in drug education in schools and the youth service, 1998". In doing so it updated and brought together in one document information for schools on drug education and related issues.
	The guidance states that all children should be receiving age-appropriate drug education in all years from Key Stage 1 onwards. Assessment of education provision in schools is undertaken by Ofsted and it tells us that many schools are already doing excellent work in relation to drugs and that the quality and provision of drug education continues to improve. We have not formally assessed the impact of the guidance on the behaviour of children and young people.
	Departments have been working since March on the new drug strategy consultation paper that will be published in July and will be the launch for a full and active consultation exercise involving all key stakeholders, service users and members of the public. We will start writing the new strategy when responses start to arrive. Education will be a key strand of the consultation.

Private Education

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of children of compulsory school age in each local education authority area attended independent schools in the last year for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: The requested information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Independent schools: number and percentage of pupils aged five to 15( 1: ) As at January 2007 (provisional) by local authority area 
			Pupils aged 5 to 15 
			Number of pupils in all schools( 2)  Number of pupils in independent schools  Percentage of pupils in independent schools( 3) 
			  England(4) 6,776,710 431,650 6.4 
			  
			 201 City of London 1,679 1,507 89.8 
			 202 Camden 21,809 5,362 24.6 
			 203 Greenwich 30,508 2,127 7.0 
			 204 Hackney 25,643 4,751 18.5 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 17,487 4,284 24.5 
			 206 Islington 19,184 391 2.0 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 16,271 7,688 47.2 
			 208 Lambeth 25,260 1,453 5.8 
			 209 Lewisham 29,952 1,509 5.0 
			 210 Southwark 33,626 3,658 10.9 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 31,095 961 3.1 
			 212 Wandsworth 29,838 6,549 21.9 
			 213 Westminster 20,853 5,252 25.2 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 25,429 43 0.2 
			 302 Barnet 42,079 4,840 11.5 
			 303 Bexley 34,088 527 1.5 
			 304 Brent 33,886 1,481 4.4 
			 305 Bromley 41,410 3,377 8.2 
			 306 Croydon 48,228 5,373 11.1 
			 307 Ealing 38,732 3,977 10.3 
			 308 Enfield 42,118 1,322 3.1 
			 309 Haringey 29,514 1,673 5.7 
			 310 Harrow 28,944 3,528 12.2 
			 311 Havering 32,269 644 2.0 
			 312 Hillingdon 36,697 2,901 7.9 
			 313 Hounslow 29,049 873 3.0 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 19,386 2,844 14.7 
			 315 Merton 21,644 2,732 12.6 
			 316 Newham 41,735 666 1.6 
			 317 Redbridge 38,369 3,001 7.8 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 24,470 6,856 28.0 
			 319 Sutton 26,271 1,301 5.0 
			 320 Waltham Forest 31,611 1,437 4.5 
			 330 Birmingham 151,343 5,958 3.9 
			 331 Coventry 42,138 2,226 5.3 
			 332 Dudley 42,749 224 0.5 
			 333 Sandwell 41,095 0 0.0 
			 334 Solihull 32,843 1,503 4.6 
			 335 Walsall 39,642 1,028 2.6 
			 336 Wolverhampton 32,827 1,228 3.7 
			 340 Knowsley 20,598 25 0.1 
			 341 Liverpool 58,647 1,858 3.2 
			 342 St. Helens 23,693 629 2.7 
			 343 Sefton 38,754 2,225 5.7 
			 344 Wirral 43,645 1,677 3.8 
			 350 Bolton 40,373 2,593 6.4 
			 351 Bury 26,041 1,694 6.5 
			 352 Manchester 58,106 4,099 7.1 
			 353 Oldham 34,968 1,199 3.4 
			 354 Rochdale 29,463 373 1.3 
			 355 Salford 28,974 1,974 6.8 
			 356 Stockport 38,579 3,720 9.6 
			 357 Tameside 30,946 151 0.5 
			 358 Trafford 30,915 1,659 5.4 
			 359 Wigan 41,455 0 0.0 
			 370 Barnsley 29,243 182 0.6 
			 371 Doncaster 39,919 466 1.2 
			 372 Rotherham 37,212 154 0.4 
			 373 Sheffield 65,152 2,408 3.7 
			 380 Bradford 72,426 3,003 4.1 
			 381 Calderdale 29,305 1,065 3.6 
			 382 Kirklees 55,059 1,683 3.1 
			 383 Leeds 93,069 3,919 4.2 
			 384 Wakefield 45,804 3,332 7.3 
			 390 Gateshead 24,553 696 2.8 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 33,264 3,610 10.9 
			 392 North Tyneside 25,080 812 3.2 
			 393 South Tyneside 19,454 0 0.0 
			 394 Sunderland 37,629 965 2.6 
			 420 Isles of Scilly 223 0 0.0 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 24,279 3,093 12.7 
			 801 Bristol, City of 45,019 5,753 12.8 
			 802 North Somerset 25,150 799 3.2 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 34,995 277 0.8 
			 805 Hartlepool 13,100 0 0.0 
			 806 Middlesbrough 19,079 22 0.1 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 19,742 0 0.0 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 26,472 1,464 5.5 
			 810 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 33,220 889 2.7 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 43,269 1,479 3.4 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 21,860 316 1.4 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 21,672 171 0.8 
			 815 North Yorkshire 76,910 4,853 6.3 
			 816 York 21,908 1,817 8.3 
			 820 Bedfordshire 56,606 4,098 7.2 
			 821 Luton 28,149 695 2.5 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 68,436 6,732 9.8 
			 826 Milton Keynes 31,851 787 2.5 
			 830 Derbyshire 99,017 3,477 3.5 
			 831 Derby 33,493 978 2.9 
			 835 Dorset 51,006 3,924 7.7 
			 836 Poole 16,705 712 4.3 
			 837 Bournemouth 18,715 1,129 6.0 
			 840 Durham 63,646 1,612 2.5 
			 841 Darlington 13,659 525 3.8 
			 845 East Sussex 63,440 5,523 8.7 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 28,786 3,009 10.5 
			 850 Hampshire 167,722 12,438 7.4 
			 851 Portsmouth 24,088 2,569 10.7 
			 852 Southampton 26,173 1,435 5.5 
			 855 Leicestershire 84,712 4,055 4.8 
			 856 Leicester 41,937 2,777 6.6 
			 857 Rutland 5,732 1,318 23.0 
			 860 Staffordshire 108,890 3,548 3.3 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 30,212 180 0.6 
			 865 Wiltshire 61,492 5,195 8.4 
			 866 Swindon 25,711 57 0.2 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 14,826 2,011 13.6 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 20,292 4,278 21.1 
			 869 West Berkshire 22,955 2,257 9.8 
			 870 Reading 15,382 2,176 14.1 
			 871 Slough 17,625 552 3.1 
			 872 Wokingham 21,850 2,200 10.1 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 73,294 5,838 8.0 
			 874 Peterborough 24,830 304 1.2 
			 875 Cheshire 92,456 6,784 7.3 
			 876 Halton 16,458 12 0.1 
			 877 Warrington 27,085 12 0.0 
			 878 Devon 89,708 6,266 7.0 
			 879 Plymouth 32,163 800 2.5 
			 880 Torbay 16,235 540 3.3 
			 881 Essex 181,653 8,978 4.9 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea 23,660 1,054 4.5 
			 883 Thurrock 20,237 0 0.0 
			 884 Herefordshire 22,157 1,519 6.9 
			 885 Worcestershire 73,048 5,789 7.9 
			 886 Kent 193,083 13,873 7.2 
			 887 Medway 37,227 1,000 2.7 
			 888 Lancashire 152,866 4,718 3.1 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 24,066 2,419 10.1 
			 890 Blackpool 19,286 770 4.0 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 100,107 2,203 2.2 
			 892 Nottingham 34,767 2,477 7.1 
			 893 Shropshire 37,969 3,610 9.5 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 23,845 631 2.6 
			 908 Cornwall 64,720 2,025 3.1 
			 909 Cumbria 64,757 2,404 3.7 
			 916 Gloucestershire 78,623 6,130 7.8 
			 919 Hertfordshire 156,681 16,921 10.8 
			 921 Isle of Wight 16,959 699 4.1 
			 925 Lincolnshire 90,705 3,421 3.8 
			 926 Norfolk 101,071 4,926 4.9 
			 928 Northamptonshire 92,746 4,415 4.8 
			 929 Northumberland 40,035 509 1.3 
			 931 Oxfordshire 82,720 11,377 13.8 
			 933 Somerset 68,852 6,891 10.0 
			 935 Suffolk 90,598 6,269 6.9 
			 936 Surrey 148,735 28,599 19.2 
			 937 Warwickshire 69,523 4,514 6.5 
			 938 West Sussex 99,685 8,543 8.6 
			 (1 )Age as at 31 August 2006. (2 )Excludes dually registered pupils. Includes pupils with other providers in pupil referral units. (3 )The number of pupils age five to 15 in independent schools expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils aged five to 15 across all schools. (4 )National figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  School Census

Pupils: Intimidation

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many bullying incidents took place in schools in each financial year since 2002-03.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not collect data on bullying.

Sure Start Programme

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost has been of the Sure Start programme in each year since it began.

Beverley Hughes: Sure Start expenditure for the period from 1998-99 to 2006-07 is shown in the table. Total expenditure includes Sure Start local programmes, child care and some nursery education funding. From 2003-04, expenditure figures also include funding for Sure Start Children's Centres.
	
		
			   Sure Start current and capital expenditure (£ million) 
			 1998-99 179 
			 1999-2000 213 
			 2000-01 367 
			 2001-02 467 
			 2002-03 680 
			 2003-04 720 
			 2004-05 928 
			 2005-06 1,240 
			 2006-07(1) 1,384 
			 (1 )Estimated outturn.  Note: Data shown corresponds to outturn figures published in departmental reports. 1997-98 excluded as not on like with like basis.

JUSTICE

Cardiff Prison: Rehabilitation

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much was spent on the detoxification unit in Cardiff prison in each year since it was established; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many applications to the detoxification unit at Cardiff prison were  (a) accepted,  (b) rejected and  (c) made in total in each year since it was established; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The detoxification unit at Cardiff prison opened on 13 September 2004. The yearly running costs are as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2004-05 520,950 
			 2005-06 548,369 
			 2006-07 532,933 
		
	
	It has capacity for 52 prisoners and is routinely full. The unit is a voluntary unit and is offered on reception. A prisoner may refuse treatment but no one is ever rejected. The following number of applications have been made and processed since its opening in September 2004.
	
		
			   Number 
			 September 2004 to August 2005 1,051 
			 September 2005 to August 2006 915 
			 September2006 to date 556

Dartmoor Prison

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons 90 cells in B wing at HM Prison Dartmoor are not being used; and for how long this has been the case.

David Hanson: All cells on B wing are fully utilised. However, C wing was permanently removed from use in November 2002 as it was no longer fit for purpose due to weather penetration, lack of integral sanitation and inadequate security standards. Refurbishment was considered but was not as economically viable as building new accommodation at a better strategic location.

Domestic Violence: Courts

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many specialist domestic violence courts there are; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such courts; how many further such courts are under consideration for establishment; and at which locations.

Bridget Prentice: There are 64 Specialist Domestic Violence Court (SDVC) systems in operation.
	My Department and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) commissioned an evaluation of the first five specialist magistrates courts operating in Cardiff, Derby, Leeds, West London and Wolverhampton. The results of the evaluation were published in 2004.
	http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/docs/specialistdvcourts.pdf.
	The Crown Prosecution Service also evaluated the Caerphilly and Croydon Specialist Courts.
	http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/docs/dvpilotsites0405.pdf
	Her Majesty's Courts Service, in conjunction with the CPS and the Home Office, is undertaking a review of the first 25 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts. Expressions of interest will be considered for new SDVC systems by end of March 2008.

Employment: Equality

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he has taken to ensure that the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 are applied to part-time members of the judiciary.

Bridget Prentice: The retirement ages for all judges, salaried, fee-paid (part-time) and magistrates, were reviewed in the light of the 2006 regulations, and there are currently no plans to change them.

Freedom of Information

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many requests for information under freedom of information legislation have been awaiting a decision by the Information Commissioner's Office for more than 118 days, as referred to in the answer of 12 October 2006,  Official Report, column 807W, on the Information Commissioner; and whether any request concluded since 10 October 2006 has taken longer than 597 days for a decision to be reached.

Bridget Prentice: Between 10 October 2006 and the end of May 2007, 69 cases were closed which were older than 597 days. At that time there were 921 open cases which were older than 118 days.
	This figure includes complaints pending resolution rather than information requests to the Information Commissioner's Office as a public authority.

Information Commissioner: Manpower

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many press, marketing and communications staff are employed by the Information Commissioner's office.

Bridget Prentice: The Information requested has been provided by the Information Commissioner's office, an independent body created by statute with responsibility for handling complaints made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998. It employs 11 press, marketing and communications staff.

Information Commissioner: Manpower

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what public expenditure was incurred by the Information Commissioner's office in hiring  (a) public affairs companies and consultants and  (b) public relations companies and consultants, in each year since its creation.

Bridget Prentice: The Information requested has been provided by the Information Commissioner's Office, an independent body created by statute with responsibility for handling complaints made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998. Since its creation in January 2001, it has incurred costs for public relations companies as set out in the following table. There has been no expenditure on public affairs consultants or agencies and no expenditure on public relations consultants.
	
		
			  Financial year ending 31 March 
			   £ 
			 2002 0 
			 2003 35,250 
			 2004 100,984 
			 2005 189,852 
			 2006 270,534 
			 2007 304,249

Legal Aid: Asylum

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in how many cases in each of the last three years the Legal Services Commission recommended exceptional funding for legal advice and representation for those making asylum support appeals; and how many of those recommendations were granted.

Bridget Prentice: Community Legal Service funding is not generally available for legal representation at asylum support appeals. Funding is available for general legal advice (falling short of advocacy) to those who qualify financially, under the legal help scheme. This allows legal aid solicitors to advise clients on tribunal procedures and can include the provision of written or oral advice, obtaining counsel's opinion if appropriate, and the preparation of a case to present at a tribunal.
	However, the Lord Chancellor has the power, on receipt of a recommendation from the Legal Services Commission (LSC), to authorise "exceptional funding" for representation under Section 6(8)(b) the Access to Justice Act 1999 in those few cases where representation may be essential for a fair hearing, and where no other sources of help can be found.
	The LSC has not authorised any requests for exceptional funding for representation before a NASS tribunal in the last three years. It does not record numbers of applications received.

Legal Aid: Asylum

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when the Legal Services Commission pilot on frontloading legal advice and assistance in asylum cases will be  (a) conducted,  (b) evaluated and  (c) published; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The joint Legal Services Commission (LSC) and Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) pilot, entitled the New Asylum Model Early Legal Advice Pilot, commenced on 23 November 2006 and will run until 7 December 2007. The pilot is being evaluated on a monthly basis by the LSC, the BIA and other stakeholders such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Refugee Legal Centre and the Immigration Advisory Service. A full and joint evaluation report will be produced once all cases in the pilot have concluded.

Legal Aid: Families

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of legal aid provision in family law cases was in each of the last three years.

Bridget Prentice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole (Annette Brooke) on 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 347W.

Legal Aid: Families

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost of the provision of legal aid services in family law cases was in 2006-07; and what the average length of a legally-aided case was over the same period.

Bridget Prentice: Figures are not yet available for 2006-07. However, for 2005-06, which is the most current year for which the data is available, the average cost of legal aid services in family law cases was around £3,600. The average length i.e. from issue of certificate to payment of claim, of a legally aided case over the same period was approaching 22 months.

Political Parties: Finance

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what work is being conducted by his Department in relation to the Group of States against Corruption's review of party funding.

Bridget Prentice: The Group of States Against Corruption (known as GRECO), is currently carrying out a review of party funding in the UK. The review process includes a 3 day visit to the UK. This visit had originally been scheduled for 4-6 July 2007 but is now expected to take place later this year. During the visit two evaluators from other GRECO member states will be meeting with a range of experts in the field of political party funding. Ministry of Justice officials are facilitating this visit by arranging appointments and providing facilities for the use of the evaluation team. In addition, the Ministry of Justice submitted responses to a GRECO questionnaire earlier this year, setting out the legal basis of the party funding regime in the UK.

Prison Accommodation

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which  (a) redundant military camps or other Ministry of Defence facilities,  (b) ships or other floating vessels and  (c) former secure hospitals were considered and rejected for use as prisons or secure accommodation in each of the last five years; and in each case what the reasons were for their rejection for such use.

David Hanson: The Government have undertaken a number of national site search exercises to identify suitable sites for new prisons. These have included the consideration of surplus property owned by other Government Departments such as the MOD and the NHS. The majority of these were ruled out at an early stage as they did not meet the basic criteria for conversion into a prison.
	NOMS identified one MOD site, Connaught Barracks in Dover, as potentially suitable for conversion into a prison. The Government decided not to proceed with this site. Another MOD site Rousillon Barracks, Chichester was not pursued further because of its listed status.
	A competition to explore the option of using vessels as part of the expansion of the custodial estates of both the NOMS and the Borders and Immigration Agency is currently under way and the OJEU Notice covering the requirement was published on 24 October 2006.

Prison Accommodation

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convicted prisoners have been detained in  (a) police and  (b) court cells in (i) Wrexham and (ii) Wales in each of the last 12 months.

David Hanson: The usage of Operation Safeguard by individual police forces is held for use as management information only.
	8 prisoners were held overnight in court cells in Cardiff on one night in June 2007. 3 of those held were convicted prisoners.

Prisons: Death

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) deaths from natural causes,  (b) deaths from accidents and  (c) self-inflicted deaths have occurred in (i) prisons, (ii) young offender institutions and (iii) secure training centres in England and Wales since 1 January 2006.

David Hanson: The information requested in respect of deaths since 1 January 2006 is provided in the following table. The figures requested at  (b) are given as 'Other non-natural' deaths.
	
		
			   Prisons  Young offender institutions  Secure training centres 
			  Type of death  2006  2007( 1)  2006  2007( 1)  2006  2007( 1) 
			 Natural causes 84 48 0 2 0 0 
			 Other non-natural 2 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Self-inflicted(2) 65 44 2 1 0 0 
			 Unclassified(3) 0 3 0 0 0 0 
			 1 Up to and including 26th June 2007.  2 Includes all deaths where it appears the individual acted specifically to take their own life, not only those that received a suicide or open verdict at inquest. Annual numbers may change slightly from time to time as inquest verdicts and other information become available.  3 Awaiting further information before classification.

Prisons: Employment

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what target was set for the number of hours of purposeful activity to be completed by prisoners in each year since 1997.

David Hanson: The national target for the number of weekly hours of purposeful activity between 1996-97 and 2003-04 is shown in the table:
	
		
			  Purposeful activity targets between 1996-97 and 2003-04 
			   National purposeful activity target 
			 1996-97 26.5 
			 1997-98 22.5 
			 1998-99 24.0 
			 1999-2000 24.0 
			 2000-01 24.0 
			 2001-02 24.0 
			 2002-03 24.0 
			 2003-04 24.0 
		
	
	Purposeful Activity ceased to be a key performance indicator (KPI) in 2004-05, and a national target is no longer set. However, it remains an establishment level key performance target (KPT). Establishments are set annual targets for prisoner activity and performance continues to be monitored internally.

Prisons: Ships

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when HMPS Weare was sold; to whom she was sold and at what price; what the original cost was of  (a) acquiring and  (b) refitting her for use as a prison was; what her annual running costs as a prison ship were for each year she was so used; and how many inmates she was designed to hold.

David Hanson: The Weare was sold in May 2006 to a specialist ship broker as an accommodation barge. Further details of the sale are commercial-in-confidence. Maintenance costs for The Weare in each year since 1997 were published in response to a parliamentary question on 22 March 2005,  Official Report, column 657W.
	The original purchase price paid for the floating prison facility was £3.7 million. The initial refit commenced in 1997 at a cost of around £6.5 million with further re-fits to endure sea-worthiness.
	The Weare held up to 400 prisoners.

Probation: Manpower

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 2132-34W, on probation: manpower, if he will estimate how many vacancies not classified as active vacancies there were for  (a) probation officers and  (b) probation service officers (i) nationally and (ii) in each probation area in England and Wales for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: I am unable to provide an estimate on how many vacancies within the probation service are not classified as active. Information on vacancies in the NFS was initially collated on the basis of establishment minus staff in post, when the NFS work force information reporting cycle was put in place in 2003. Probation Areas have since been required to report regularly on the number of active vacancies they have. An active vacancy is one which a Probation Area is actively trying to fill through a recruitment process. Information on vacancies was not collected prior to 2003.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who was consulted prior to the introduction of Statutory Instrument no. 1709, 2007.

David Hanson: The Youth Justice Board and the Directors of secure training centres.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what role the departmental controller in each of the secure training centres plays in  (a) monitoring and  (b) reporting on the use of physical restraint;
	(2)  what system of monitoring the use of physical restraint is in place in each secure training centre to ensure that practice complies with guidelines set out in the Youth Justice Board paper on managing behaviour.

David Hanson: Under section 8 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, every contracted-out secure training centre shall have a monitor, who shall be a Crown servant appointed by the Secretary of State. The monitor's functions are set out in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act and the Secure Training Centre Rules. Key functions are:
	to keep the running of the centre under review, and report on it to the Secretary of State
	to investigate, and report to the Secretary of State on, any allegations made against custody officers
	to ensure that any person applying for certification as a custody officer is a fit and proper person and has received appropriate training.
	When a young person has been subject to physical restraint, the Custody Officers involved complete a report immediately after the incident. This is signed by the unit manager, duty operations manager and duty director and copied to the monitor within 12 hours. The report details the reasons necessary for taking such action. The monitor checks that the report explains why physical restraint was considered necessary, who was present at the incident, who authorised the use of physical restraint, who applied the restraint and the exact methods used.
	Any incident is also logged in a physical restraint care log book. Records are checked weekly by a nominated head of department and audited. Statistical information is given to the monitor on a weekly basis.
	The monitor make a monthly report to a central team at the Youth Justice Board of all instances of physical restraint, together with any concerns he or she may have.
	The Youth Justice Board's code of practice "Managing Children and Young People's Behaviour in the Secure Estate" applies to all establishments in the under-18 estate and covers other issues in addition to physical restraint. The Board undertakes separate assessments of compliance with the code.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times oxygen has been offered, or applied to, detainees following the use of restraint in secure training centres in each of the last three years.

David Hanson: Oxygen was administered to a trainee at Rainsbrook secure training centre on four occasions in 2005 and once in 2006 following restraint incidents. It was not administered on any occasion during 2004 (or during 2007 to date). The other three centres have not administered oxygen following a restraint incident on any occasion during this period.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what consultation process was undertaken when deciding whether to extend the physical restraint procedures in the 2006 Youth Justice Board code of practice; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure that physical restraint is appropriately used within juvenile secure estates following changes to the 2006 Youth Justice Board code of practice; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what representations he has received on changes to physical restraint procedures in the 2006 Youth Justice Board code of practice; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what discussions he has had with the Youth Justice Board (YJB) when considering changes to the physical restraint procedures outlined in the 2006 YJB code of practice; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  if he will make a statement on the decision to extend physical restraint within juvenile secure estates.

David Hanson: We have not extended physical restraint procedures in the under-18 secure estate.
	The recent inquest into the death in 2004 of Adam Rickwood highlighted a lack of clarity in the law relating to the use of physical restraint in secure training centres. Section 9 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 places certain duties on custody officers in contracted-out secure training centres, including a duty to ensure good order and discipline. It states that the powers arising by virtue of those duties include power to use reasonable force where necessary. However, the purposes for which approved methods of physical restraint may be used, as set out in rule 38 of the Secure Training Centre Rules 1998, did not include ensuring good order and discipline. In consequence, the coroner recommended urgent action to clarify the law. In response to his recommendation, we laid before Parliament on 13 June the Secure Training Centre (Amendment) Rules 2007. They come into effect on 6 July.
	Before laying the new rules, we consulted with the Youth Justice Board and the directors of secure training centres. The board and the directors were of the view that the change to the rules should be made as quickly as possible.
	I or my officials have received seven letters and four e-mail messages making representations or seeking information on this subject, including a letter from the chairman of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.
	The change to the rules does not affect the two other types of establishment in the under-18 secure estate: young offender institutions and secure children's homes, to which other rules or regulations apply.
	The Youth Justice Board has not amended its code of practice, "Managing Children and Young People's Behaviour in the Secure Estate" (February 2006), and has no plans to do so. Section 10 of the code sets out the principles governing the use of physical restraint. The amendment to the rules does not affect those principles. Nor does it alter the particular techniques that may be used (though those techniques are not prescribed by the code). The particular techniques that may be applied vary between the three sectors of the estate. In secure training centres, methods approved by the Secretary of State may only be applied.
	Use of physical restraint in the under-18 estate is monitored by the Youth Justice Board, in accordance with section 10 of the code of practice. Following the introduction of the code last year, all under-18 establishments were required to conduct an assessment of compliance. The assessments were audited by the Youth Justice Board. Establishments that were not able to demonstrate full compliance were required to draw up an action plan to achieve it.
	All under-18 establishments must provide the board with monthly statistics on use of restraint. A new, improved system of data collection was introduced in April this year. The board is planning a further assessment of performance in relation to use of restraint later this year.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many injuries occurred in juvenile secure units as a result of physical restraint in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The information requested relating to the under-18 estate at large was not collected centrally before the introduction of the Youth Justice Board's new data collection system in April 2007.
	However, since February 2006, the Youth Justice Board has required secure training centres to make specific reports of any injuries. It has had no reports of injuries to young people arising out of the use of restraint during this period.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many unannounced inspections of each secure training centre have been carried out by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: Inspection of secure training centres was originally the responsibility of the Social Services Inspectorate and subsequently the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate (CSCI). CSCI began to include unannounced inspections in its secure training centre inspection programme from April 2006. Inspection of secure training centres transferred to the expanded Ofsted on 1 April 2007.
	In 2006 Rainsbrook, Medway and Hassockfield each received an unannounced inspection. So far in 2007, Oakhill has received two unannounced inspections.
	Immediately after the deaths of Adam Rickwood and Gareth Myatt in 2004, unannounced inspections were conducted at Rainsbrook and Hassockfield.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children have been injured during physical restraint in each of the secure training centres in each quarter since January 2006.

David Hanson: Since February 2006, the Youth Justice Board has required secure training centres to make specific reports of any injuries. It has had no reports of injuries to young people arising out of the use of restraint during this period.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what use was made of the chemical incapacitate known as PAVA to end the rooftop demonstration at Huntercombe Young Offenders Institution on 15 June; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: During the operation to bring a rooftop incident to a close, PAVA was deployed in circumstances which the intervention teams judged to present no risk to the safety of the young offenders. Operational assessment is that the deployment hastened the resolution of the incident.

Victim Support Schemes

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what responses he has received about the piloting of the Victims' Advocate Scheme.

David Hanson: The response to the scheme is very encouraging. The pilot began in five Crown court centres on 24 April 2006. There are currently 258 eligible cases and in 199 of these the family has chosen to make a statement in court or access personal and social legal advice. As at 18 June 2007, 40 family impact statements had been made with 38 delivered orally in court and in two read privately by the judge.

Young Offender Institutes

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the maximum capacity of young offender institutes was in each year since 1997, broken down by  (a) male and  (b) female accommodation.

David Hanson: The following tables provide the operational capacity, at the end of June for each year from 1997 to 2006, of each designated Young Offender Institution (YOI) in England and Wales.
	The tables list those sites that only hold under 21-year-olds either on remand or as sentenced young offenders. Operational capacity describes the total number of prisoners for the whole prison. For those establishments that have split functions, the operational capacity for the different functions are not available.
	Women young offenders are held in accommodation designated for young offenders within women's prisons.
	
		
			  Operational capacity of young offender institutions in each year from 1997 to 1999 
			  Establishment  Operational Capacity 
			  1997  
			 Aylesbury 328 
			 Brinsford 509 
			 Castington 300 
			 Colchester 38 
			 Deerbolt 466 
			 Dover 316 
			 Feltham 922 
			 Glen Parva 882 
			 Hatfield 180 
			 Hindley 551 
			 Hollesley Bay 470 
			 Huntercombe 266 
			 Lancaster Farms 536 
			 Low Newton 299 
			 Northallerton 298 
			 Onley 520 
			 Portland 536 
			 Reading 245 
			 Stoke Heath 322 
			 Swinfen Hall 202 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Werrington 121 
			 Wetherby 360 
			  1998  
			 Aylesbury 328 
			 Brinsford 540 
			 Castington 330 
			 Deerbolt 432 
			 Dover 316 
			 Feltham 922 
			 Glen Parva 852 
			 Guys Marsh 509 
			 Hatfield 180 
			 Hindley 547 
			 Huntercombe 384 
			 Lancaster Farms 536 
			 Northallerton 298 
			 Onley 640 
			 Portland 576 
			 Reading 245 
			 Stoke Heath 646 
			 Swinfen Hall 319 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Werrington 192 
			 Wetherby 360 
			  1999  
			 Aylesbury 355 
			 Brinsford 509 
			 Castington 366 
			 Deerbolt 488 
			 Dover 316 
			 Feltham 922 
			 Glen Parva 852 
			 Guys Marsh 509 
			 Hatfield 180 
			 Hindley 502 
			 Huntercombe 376 
			 Lancaster Farms 536 
			 Northallerton 298 
			 Onley 640 
			 Portland 576 
			 Reading 245 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Stoke Heath 646 
			 Swinfen Hall 319 
			 Werrington 188 
			 Wetherby 360 
		
	
	
		
			  Operational capacity of young offender institutions in each year from 2000 to 2002 
			  Establishment  Operational Capacity 
			  2000  
			 Ashfield 400 
			 Aylesbury 355 
			 Brinsford 493 
			 Castington 366 
			 Deerbolt 488 
			 Dover 316 
			 Feltham 818 
			 Glen Parva 852 
			 Hatfield 180 
			 Hindley 58 
			 Hollesley Bay 361 
			 Huntercombe 368 
			 Lancaster Farms 536 
			 Northallerton 298 
			 Onley 640 
			 Portland 572 
			 Reading 247 
			 Stoke Heath 622 
			 Swinfen Hall 320 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Werrington 106 
			 Wetherby 360 
			  2001  
			 Ashfield 400 
			 Aylesbury 352 
			 Brinsford 493 
			 Castington 406 
			 Deerbolt 426 
			 Feltham 729 
			 Glen Parva 802 
			 Hatfield 180 
			 Hindley 558 
			 Huntercombe 368 
			 Lancaster Farms 536 
			 Northallerton 264 
			 Onley 640 
			 Portland 542 
			 Reading 241 
			 Stoke Heath 564 
			 Swinfen Hall 319 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Werrington 140 
			 Wetherby 360 
			  2002  
			 Ashfield 400 
			 Aylesbury 352 
			 Brinsford 493 
			 Castington 406 
			 Deerbolt 486 
			 Feltham 715 
			 Glen Parva 802 
			 Hatfield 180 
			 Hindley 59 
			 Huntercombe 352 
			 Lancaster Farms 546 
			 Northallerton 254 
			 Onley 580 
			 Portland 542 
			 Reading 289 
			 Stoke Heath 688 
			 Swinfen Hall 320 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Warren Hill 214 
			 Werrington 134 
			 Wetherby 360 
		
	
	
		
			  Operational capacity of young offender institutions in each year from 2003 to 2005 
			  Establishment  Operational Capacity 
			  2003  
			 Ashfield 400 
			 Aylesbury 35 
			 Brinsford 493 
			 Castington 410 
			 Deerbolt 518 
			 Feltham 748 
			 Glen Parva 808 
			 Hindley 559 
			 Huntercombe 350 
			 Lancaster Farms 526 
			 Northallerton 254 
			 Onley 580 
			 Portland 456 
			 Reading 289 
			 Rochester 180 
			 Stoke Heath 688 
			 Swinfen Hall 320 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Warren Hill 220 
			 Werrington 148 
			 Wetherby 360 
			 2004  
			 Ashfield 304 
			 Aylesbury 364 
			 Brinsford 493 
			 Castington 346 
			 Deerbolt 518 
			 Feltham 761 
			 Glen Parva 808 
			 Hindley 539 
			 Huntercombe 368 
			 Lancaster Farms 527 
			 Northallerton 254 
			 Onley 580 
			 Portland 476 
			 Reading 289 
			 Stoke Heath 690 
			 Swinfen Hall 440 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Warren Hill 222 
			 Werrington 148 
			 Wetherby 324 
			  2005  
			 Ashfield 360 
			 Aylesbury 438 
			 Brinsford 493 
			 Castington 410 
			 Deerbolt 518 
			 Feltham 761 
			 Glen Parva 808 
			 Hindley 455 
			 Huntercombe 368 
			 Lancaster Farms 527 
			 Northallerton 209 
			 Portland 398 
			 Reading 297 
			 Rochester 392 
			 Stoke Heath 690 
			 Swinfen Hall 590 
			 Thorn Cross 316 
			 Warren Hill 222 
			 Werrington 148 
			 Wetherby 360 
		
	
	
		
			  Operational capacity of young offender institutions in each year from 2006 
			  Establishment  Operational Capacity 
			 Ashfield 380 
			 Aylesbury 444 
			 Brinsford 489 
			 Castington 410 
			 Deerbolt 458 
			 Feltham 764 
			 Glen Parva 808 
			 Hindley 455 
			 Huntercombe 368 
			 Lancaster Farms 527 
			 Northallerton 248 
			 Portland 524 
			 Reading 297 
			 Rochester 382 
			 Stoke Heath 690 
			 Swinfen Hall 620 
			 Thorn Cross 321 
			 Warren Hill 222 
			 Werrington 162 
			 Wetherby 353

Young Offenders: Rehabilitation

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps the Government are taking to help young female offenders get back into employment.

David Hanson: There is a wide agenda of cross Government work underway to improve offenders' job prospects and to enable them to access sustainable employment. The joint DFES, Home Office and DWP reducing re-offending through skills and employment action plan sets the direction for this work. There are a number of programmes specifically designed to meet the needs of women. At Holloway prison, a job club has recently been set up by the European funded Exodus project to help women with CV writing, searching for employment and interview skills.

Young Offenders: Rehabilitation

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures in place to rehabilitate young offenders on their release from prison; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The inter-departmental reducing Re-offending Delivery Plan has at its heart the management of offenders from one end of their sentence to the other. It has a strong focus on commissioning the most effective interventions for offenders, including young offenders who often have chaotic lives and complex needs.
	The Youth Justice Board published its youth resettlement framework for action in 2006, focusing on developing the key resettlement pathways and has rolled out resettlement and aftercare provision schemes (RAPS) in over 50 youth offending team (YOT) areas, providing planned resettlement activities for young offenders in custody and in the community.
	The effective resettlement of offenders into the community is not just an issue for the Ministry of Justice. It requires a great deal of cross-Government and local partnership commitment, and this is currently being developed.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

EU Treaty

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the process is for agreeing a new EU treaty; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The Portuguese presidency plans to open an Inter-Governmental Conference on 23-24 July. Technical work will then be taken forward by working groups. The presidency aims to conclude the Treaty at the European Council in Lisbon on 18 October. Ratification by member states would then follow.

UN Drugs Organisations

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the objectives of the United Nations drugs organisations.

Kim Howells: UK policy is to support international drug control, including the relevant UN Conventions, and the work of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in implementing it. The UK is a long standing member of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs and is also a major donor to UNODC.

Non-proliferation Treaty Review

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking in preparation for the non-proliferation treaty review conference in 2010.

Kim Howells: On 25 June, my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary set out how we intended to work towards the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in 2010.
	She called for a reinvigorated commitment to a world free from nuclear weapons and recognised the pressure on the nuclear Non-Proliferation regime, particularly from Iran and North Korea. She made clear that we are committed to strengthen all aspects of the Nuclear NPT.

Zimbabwe

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to improve the political situation in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Mugabe has presided over catastrophic decline. Since 2000, the UK has given £143 million to help ordinary Zimbabweans stay alive, directly supporting nearly 1.6 million people. We will continue to support all those working for democratic change. Meanwhile state-sponsored violence in Zimbabwe must stop, the rule of law must be respected and the upcoming elections must meet the standards that Southern African Development Community states have themselves set one another.

Iran

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on Iran.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State had regular discussions with her European counterparts on Iran, most recently at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 18 June.

Middle East

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the middle east peace process.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend for Leeds North-East (Mr. Hamilton)
	The middle east peace process is one of our highest priorities. Our objective remains a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The two-state solution is the only realistic basis for a just and lasting peace, despite Hamas' actions in Gaza. This means a viable state of Palestine living in peace and security alongside the state of Israel. Both parties need to fulfil their obligations in order for this to become a reality. The international community has a key role to play in helping to secure this outcome. The Government are fully committed to doing whatever it can to help.

Israel

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Israel on incursions by Israeli armed forces into Palestine.

Kim Howells: The impact of Israel's military operations remains a real concern. Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism but it must respect international humanitarian law. We regularly raise our concerns about this with the Israeli Government.

Occupied Territories

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the growth of illegal settlements in the west bank and east Jerusalem since 2002.

Kim Howells: We remain concerned at continuing settlement activity in the west bank and east Jerusalem. Non-governmental organisations have reported that the number of settlements has not changed but totals of settlers have risen.
	The UK has stated that the settlements are illegal under international law; Israel should freeze all construction, including "natural growth" of existing settlements, and dismantle all outposts built since 2001. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv last raised our concerns with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni on 28 May.

Afghanistan

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the security situation in Afghanistan.

Kim Howells: The security situation in the southern provinces of Afghanistan remains very challenging. Our forces, and those of Afghanistan and other international security assistance force nations, continue to work with great professionalism and bravery to provide the people of the Helmand and Kandahar provinces with the support they require to construct the services and infrastructure needed so badly in that part of the world.

African Union: Peace Keeping Operations

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on increasing co-operation between the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such co-operation on African Union military involvement in  (a) Sudan,  (b) Somalia,  (c) the Central African Republic and  (d) Chad.

Meg Munn: We strongly welcome the growing co-operation between the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (AUPSC). Both have a vital role to play in conflict management in Africa. We are actively encouraging them to develop a practical and more formalised relationship. The UK and South Africa jointly led a UNSC mission to Africa from 14 to 18 June which included a joint UNSC-AUPSC meeting in Addis Ababa. The two bodies agreed to enhance co-operation and the UNSC agreed to "examine the possibility of the financing of a peacekeeping operation undertaken by the AU or under its authority" (copies of their joint communiqué will be placed in the Library of the House).
	The UN and the AU are working extremely closely on Darfur, including joint mediation by their respective special envoys and on planning for the UN/AU hybrid peacekeeping operation. Discussions with the AU during the UNSC mission helped pave the way for authorisation of the hybrid operation by the UNSC and AUPSC.
	We fully support the AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM)—the UK-sponsored UNSC Resolution 1744, adopted unanimously by the Security Council on 20 February, authorising the AMISOM's deployment. The UN is supporting AMISOM through an assistance cell to the AU in Addis Ababa and providing military planners. The UNSC has requested the Secretary-General to consult the AU on how to strengthen AMISOM and authorised him to begin contingency planning for a possible UN peacekeeping operation in Somalia. The UNSC mission discussed with the AUPSC on 16 June the need for an inclusive political process in Somalia. The two bodies will continue to work in tandem to try to help bring peace and stability to Somalia.
	The AU has no military involvement in the Central African Republic or Chad. The UNSC is considering what role the UN might play to ensure stability and humanitarian access. The UNSC mission held discussions with the AU on 16 June on these issues.

Australia: Foreign Relations

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Australian counterpart since January.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with his Australian counterpart as yet. He looks forward to that opportunity. My right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) the then Foreign Secretary and her counterpart, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer, met for substantive bilateral discussions on 18 to 19 December 2006 at the Australia-United Kingdom ministerial dialogue meeting in London.

Bermuda: Arrests

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the arrest and detention of the Auditor General for law and order in Bermuda.

Meg Munn: The Auditor General in Bermuda was arrested and subsequently released on police bail in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation by the Bermuda Police Service. It would therefore not be appropriate to comment further.

Burma: UN Resolutions

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic steps the United Nations has taken on Burma since a resolution was vetoed in January.

Meg Munn: On 22 May, the UN Secretary-General announced that Ibrahim Gambari, the UN Special Adviser on the International Compact in Iraq and Other Issues, would continue to pursue the Good Offices mandate on Burma.
	The UN Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, visited Burma from 25 to 29 June to address compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 1612, which lays down reporting requirements for a number of countries of concern, including Burma.
	The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Margareta Wahlstrom, visited Burma from 4 to 9 April to assess the humanitarian situation in Burma.
	The UN has a key role to play in addressing the political and humanitarian challenges in Burma. The UK will continue to support the UN's efforts in Burma.

Canada

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Canadian counterpart.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary last spoke to her counterpart, Canadian Foreign Minister Mr. Peter MacKay, by telephone on 9 March, when they discussed a number of international issues.

Cayman Islands: Business

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the US Administration in the last 12 months on the Cayman Islands and companies operating there; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has received no representations from the US Administration in the last 12 months on the Cayman Islands and companies operating there.

Central African Republic: Kidnapping

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports and representations he has received on armed groups seizing children for ransom payments in the Central African Republic; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are monitoring the security and human rights situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and are concerned by recent reports from Amnesty International referring, among other things, to incidents of armed groups kidnapping children for ransom. We have seen reports of child abductions by armed groups from refugee groups which appear to constitute forced recruitment and have raised this with the Office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
	We remain concerned by increased reports of humanitarian violations in CAR and the increasing level of violence in the north-west of the country, which has forced some humanitarian organisations to suspend operations in some areas. We have raised our concerns with the CAR authorities and welcome President Bozize's intention to carry out an investigation into the allegations of human rights abuses.

Darfur Oil Trust Fund

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other members of the Government on the proposal for a Darfur Oil Trust Fund.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the proposal for an oil trust fund with other members of the Government. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development officials are discussing the proposal and will discuss the idea in more detail with the Aegis Trust.
	We welcome the Aegis Trust proposal for an oil trust fund. This could be an option for consideration in the future to put further pressure on the government of Sudan to meet its commitments on Darfur. As with other measures, we need to carefully consider its impact on the economy and poverty reduction in the whole of Sudan, and on the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), agreed between north and south Sudan in 2005. Oil revenues are key to delivering the CPA's peace dividend across Sudan. The UK's policy remains focused on smart and targeted multilateral sanctions.

Darfur Oil Trust Fund

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other members of the Government on the proposals for a Darfur Oil Trust Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the proposal for an oil trust fund with other members of the Government. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development officials are discussing the proposal and will discuss the idea in more detail with the Aegis Trust.
	We welcome the Aegis Trust proposal for an oil trust fund. This could be an option for consideration in the future to put further pressure on the Government of Sudan to meet its commitments on Darfur. As with other measures, we need to carefully consider its impact on the economy and poverty reduction in the whole of Sudan, and on the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), agreed between north and south Sudan in 2005. Oil revenues are key to delivering the CPA's peace dividend across Sudan. The UK's policy remains focused on smart and targeted multilateral sanctions.

East Timor: Democracy

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the conduct of the parliamentary election campaign in East Timor and its conformity with the Political Party Accord and Code of Conduct.

Meg Munn: The Deputy Head of our embassy in Jakarta visited Dili from 18 to 21 June and met with the East Timorese Government, the UN Mission and other key interlocutors. There was agreement that the parliamentary election campaign was proceeding well, with minimal evidence only of violence. All parties were respecting the Political Party Accord and Code of Conduct. The EU Election Observation Mission in East Timor also report that the electoral preparation is progressing well. We will continue to monitor progress.

European Constitution Treaty

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the cost of a national referendum on an EU treaty.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	This Department has not made an estimate of the cost of a national referendum on an EU treaty. We would, however, expect the cost of running a UK referendum to be similar to the cost of a general election. The last general election cost approximately £80 million.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of the middle east peace process.

Kim Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today (UIN 146824) to the hon. Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Burrowes).
	The middle east peace process is a top priority. We seek a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the only realistic basis for a lasting peace. This means a viable state of Palestine living in peace alongside the state of Israel. Both parties must fulfil their obligations for this to become reality. The international community has a key role to play. The Government are fully committed to doing whatever they can to help.

Palestinian Arms Trade

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 211W, on Palestinian arms trade, if he will list the items provided by the UK to Palestinian Authority forces for close protection.

David Miliband: During financial year 2006-07, the UK provided the following to Palestinian President Abbas for close protection from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool: four Honda motorcycles; eight helmets; eight leather jackets; and four sets of gloves. We have also provided maintenance for three vehicles. The total cost for this was £36,081.

Russia and UK-EU Relations

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Russian relations with the UK and the EU.

Jim Murphy: Russia is a key partner for the UK and the EU. Both the UK and the EU share interests with Russia for example on trade, energy, human rights, security and a host of international issues, but on occasions our assessments and approaches differ. Where we have disagreements or concerns, we, and the EU, raise them frankly with the Russian authorities.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Saudi Arabian officials on the country's human rights record.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett), the former Foreign Secretary's most recent meetings with her counterpart His Royal Highness Prince Saud were in the margins of the Iraq Compact Group (May) and the Paris Donor Conference for Lebanon (January) and focused on issues relevant to those events.
	We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, regularly raising our concerns, both bilaterally and through the European Union.

Sierra Leone: Prisons

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of prisoners' rights and living conditions in Sierra Leone.

Meg Munn: The UN has recently published a report 'Behind Walls: An Inventory and Assessment of Prisons in Sierra Leone' which documents the state of prisoners' living conditions in Sierra Leone. The work of the Department for International Development-funded justice sector development programme (JSDP) in Sierra Leone informed the preparation of the report and provided some of the information it contains.
	The JSDP is a £25 million, five-year programme, which started in 2005 and includes extensive work on prisoners' rights and living conditions. Some of the JSDP work already carried out has included: the development of a Best Practice-Case Management handbook that identified problems across the criminal justice system and provided training to tackle the problems identified, which led to a reduction in the remand rate from 70 per cent. to 52 per cent. in prisons in the last year; the rehabilitation of Moyamba Prison and improvements at Kenema Prison which have improved living conditions and reduced overcrowding; the construction of water wells at Pujehun and Bo Prison; and the renovation and furnishing of a school and home for children who otherwise would have been kept in adult prisons.
	In addition, the JSDP is helping the Prison Service to develop a strategic plan which takes into account the need to improve prisoners' rights and living conditions.

Simon Mann

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) representations he has made and  (b) reports he has received on the (i) imprisonment and (ii) welfare of Simon Mann in Harare; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: When a British national is detained overseas, our principal role is to take an interest in their welfare. Consular officials have visited Simon Mann regularly and, where appropriate, raised any concerns with the Zimbabwean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with colleagues in  (a) NATO,  (b) the European Union and  (c) the United Nations Security Council on the ending of offensive Sudanese flights over Darfur.

Meg Munn: We are working with international partners in the UN Security Council to press both the African Union (AU) and the Panel of Experts to notify the UN Sanctions Committee of any instances of offensive military flights in Darfur.
	We will pursue further UN sanctions if the Government of Sudan do not cease their aerial bombardment of Darfur; and if it or the rebel movements impede deployment of the AU-UN hybrid peacekeeping force or the relief efforts of the humanitarian agencies, or fail to engage on the political process, or commits human rights violations. Further measures would include better monitoring of the illegal use of aircraft in Darfur, with an enforced no fly zone a possibility for the future. We would need to assess the logistical challenges of implementation and impact on the humanitarian effort of any measures.

Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the timetable for the full deployment of the combined African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force to Sudan; what decisions were made at the enlarged Contact Group meeting in Paris; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The UN and African Union (AU) are still negotiating the timetable for the deployment of the AU-UN hybrid force for Darfur. We want the force to deploy as soon as possible.
	My noble Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, attended the enlarged Sudan Contact Group meeting in Paris on 25 June which called on all to agree on the earliest possible date for deployment. The meeting also stressed the need to push ahead with the political process to resolve the Darfur crisis.

Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) proposed mandate and  (b) command and control structure will be for the joint African Union-United Nations deployment to Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The proposed mandate of the joint African Union (AU)—UN peacekeeping force for Darfur is contained in the report produced by the AU and UN and presented to the Government of Sudan in Addis Ababa on 12 June. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House. The Peace and Security Council of the AU endorsed this proposed mandate on 22 June. We are preparing a UN Security Council Resolution with other Security Council members that will mandate the UN elements of the force.
	The command of the force will be unified to UN standards and principles. This is necessary for it to be effective and to secure UN troop contributors and funding. The new AU Mission in Sudan Force Commander, Nigerian General Agwai, will take over as Force Commander of the hybrid mission when it deploys. He will report to the newly appointed Joint Special Representative, Rodolphe Adada, who reports to both the UN and AU, which agreed these two appointments.

Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with colleagues within NATO, the European Union and the UN Security Council on ending offensive Sudanese flights over Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are working with international partners in the UN Security Council to press both the African Union (AU) and the Panel of Experts to notify the UN Sanctions Committee of any instances of offensive military flights in Darfur.
	We will pursue further UN sanctions if the Government of Sudan does not cease its aerial bombardment of Darfur; and if it or the rebel movements impede deployment of the AU-UN hybrid peacekeeping force or the relief efforts of the humanitarian agencies, or fail to engage on the political process, or commit human rights violations. Further measures would include better monitoring of the illegal use of aircraft in Darfur, with an enforced no fly zone a possibility for the future. We would need to assess the logistical challenges of implementation and impact on the humanitarian effort of any measures.

Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the timetable is for the full deployment of the African Union-United Nations force in Darfur; and what progress was made at the Contact Group Meeting in Paris.

Meg Munn: The UN and African Union (AU) are still negotiating the timetable for the deployment of the AU-UN hybrid force for Darfur. We want the force to deploy as soon as possible.
	My noble Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, attended the enlarged Sudan Contact Group meeting in Paris on 25 June which called on all to agree on the earliest possible date for deployment. The meeting also stressed the need to push ahead with the political process to resolve the Darfur crisis.

Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to  (a) expedite the deployment of the full African Union-United Nations force to Darfur and  (b) encourage other countries to act in a similar manner; and if he will take steps to establish a public and verifiable timetable to keep the Sudanese Government to its commitments to accept the joint force.

Meg Munn: We are pressing the African Union (AU) and UN to deploy the AU-UN hybrid force as quickly as possible. We are preparing a draft UN Security Council Resolution, with other Security Council members, to mandate the force which will give the UN the authority it needs to begin preparations for deployment later this year. The Peace and Security Council of the AU has already endorsed the proposed mandate for the force.
	We have also made clear to the Government of Sudan that we would consider tougher measures if they were to take action which impeded the deployment of this force.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of whether the Joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force in Sudan will be under overall United Nations control.

Meg Munn: The command of the African Union (AU)-UN hybrid peacekeeping force will be unified to UN standards and principles. This is necessary for the force to be effective, and to secure UN troop contributors and funding. The new AU Mission in Sudan Force Commander, Nigerian General Agwai, will take over as Force Commander of the hybrid mission when it deploys. He will report to the newly appointed Joint Special Representative, Rodolphe Adada, who reports to both the UN and AU, which agreed these two appointments.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her assessment is of the likely timetable for the full deployment of the Joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping force to Sudan; and if she will make a statement on the decisions reached at the enlarged Contact Group meeting in Paris.

Meg Munn: The UN and African Union (AU) are still negotiating the timetable for the deployment of the AU-UN hybrid force for Darfur. We want the force to deploy as soon as possible.
	My noble Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, attended the enlarged Sudan Contact Group meeting in Paris on 25 June which called on all to agree on the earliest possible date for deployment. The meeting also stressed the need to push ahead with the political process to resolve the Darfur crisis.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of the proposed mandate for the Joint African Union-United Nations deployment to Darfur.

Meg Munn: The proposed mandate is available in the Library of the House: it is contained in the joint report for a hybrid peacekeeping force produced by the African Union (AU) and UN and presented to the Government of Sudan in Addis Ababa on 12 June.
	The Peace and Security Council of the AU endorsed the proposed mandate on 22 June. It also requested that the UN Security Council authorise urgently its deployment. We are preparing a UN Security Council Resolution with other Security Council members that will mandate the force.

Uganda: Diplomatic Relations

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to President Museveni of Uganda following the President's statement that the UK was responsible for Zimbabwe's economic and social problems.

Meg Munn: We are not aware that President Museveni has recently made such a statement.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney), the then Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, gave to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llywd) on 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 225W.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

National Institute for Medical Research

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what views have been expressed by  (a) the London Development Agency and  (b) other advisers on the redevelopment of the National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill.

Ian Pearson: This is a matter for the Medical Research Council (MRC). I have asked MRC's Chief Executive Professor Colin Blakemore, to reply to the hon. Member.

HEALTH

Chiltern Health Profile 2007

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what methodology was used to calculate the ecological footprint of a Chiltern resident as set out in his Department's publication, Chiltern Health Profile 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 29 June 2007
	The ecological footprint is an indicator of ecological sustainability from a consumption perspective. It represents the environmental cost (resource use and environmental degradation) associated with people's lifestyle choice and the goods and services they buy.
	The use of this sustainability indicator as the basis for policy and decision making at local authority level is in line with the United Kingdom's Government Sustainable Development Strategy "Securing the Future" (March 2005).
	The calculations are produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) based at the University of York using the UK National Footprint Account and a standardised environmental-economic method of calculation applied to all local authorities, based on local expenditure data.
	SEI uses an environmental input-output model to calculate the Ecological Footprint (EF) of local authority Areas in the UK. A short description of the method can be found at:
	www.sei.se/reap/national.php
	A detailed description of the EF Indicator is at:
	www.communityhealthprofiles.info/indicators/02EcologicalFootprintIndicator.php
	The Stockholm Environment Institute in York can provide specific information concerning the Chiltern Health Profile 2007 and can be contacted at
	www.sei.se

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research

Bill Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what bio-medical research  (a) his Department and  (b) the Medical Research Council has funded into the cause or causes of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 29 June 2007
	Over the last 10 years, the main part of the Department's total expenditure on health research has been devolved to and managed by national health service organisations. That devolved funding is supporting a body of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) research. Details are available on the national research register at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/research
	The new National Institute for Health Research South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and Institute of Psychiatry Biomedical Research Centre, funded by the Department, will undertake research on CFS/ME.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support biomedical research. During the period in question, MRC has funded seven research studies on CFS/ME, five of which are of direct relevance to the condition, and two related to it but of lesser relevance.
	Although not currently funding any research specifically related to the biological effects of CFS/ME, the MRC remains committed to funding scientific research into all aspects of CFS/ME including evaluations of other treatments and studies into the biological basis of the condition. The MRC always welcome high-quality applications for support into any aspect of human health and these are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality.

Health Profiles: Local Authorities

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the indicator ecological footprint included in Health Profiles of Local Authorities issued by the Public Health Observatory will be used by local government and primary care trusts to tackle health inequalities and improve health.

Dawn Primarolo: The ecological footprint indicator may be used in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment of Local Authorities. It may be used in local area agreements and community strategies developed by local strategic partnerships; and primary care trusts (PCTs) may use it or refer to it in their local delivery plans and annual public health reports.
	Local authorities are responsible for strategic community planning and they have a statutory responsibility to undertake sustainability appraisal and strategic environmental impact assessments for local development frameworks. Local authorities influence environmental impacts and therefore the health of the local population, for example, through measures such as increasing recycling/re-using, less individual travel, controlled handing of environmentally harmful materials.
	Public sector organisations, including local authorities and PCTs, are increasingly recognising their own ecological impact in terms of the business resources they consume and the carbon they produce as part of their daily business. They are continually developing ways of reducing their footprint.
	A detailed description of the ecological footprint indicator is available at:
	www.communityhealthprofiles.info/indicators/02EcologicalFootprintIndicator.php

IVF

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women have been denied IVF treatment on the grounds of the 'need of that child for a father' in accordance with 13 (5) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 in each year since 1990.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 2 July 2007
	The information requested is not collected centrally.

Liverpool City Council (Prohibition of Smoking in Places of Work) Bill

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of the introduction of the Liverpool City Council (Prohibition of Smoking in Places of Work) Bill on Government policy and legislation to ban smoking in enclosed public places in England.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government recognise the significant contributions and efforts that Liverpool city council and its partners have made in providing protection from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.

Meat: Standards

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with trading standards representatives on the regulation of businesses which insert water and protein into meat.

Dawn Primarolo: The Food Standards Agency has been working closely with trading standards officers to ensure that consumers are not misled about the chicken they buy.
	Enforcement officers are encouraged to take action where food business operators are found to be selling chicken that does not comply with food safety and labelling legislation.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: Meat

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems are in place for testing imported meat for MRSA contamination.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 29 June 2007
	All meat produced in the EU is prepared in accordance with hygiene regulations and in such a manner as to reduce bacterial load. There are no systems in place in the United Kingdom to test meat for MRSA from approved establishments.
	Following advice on appropriate cleaning and the handling, storage and cooking of meat is important in preparing food safely and preventing/minimising the risk of contamination by micro-organisms.

Smoking: Elderly

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people over the age of 55 years he expects to give up smoking as a result of the public smoking ban.

Dawn Primarolo: The costs and benefits of the new smokefree law are set out in the final regulatory impact assessment published by the Department in December 2006 and is available in the Library and at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=121535&Rendition=Web
	The primary aim of smokefree legislation is to provide protection from secondhand smoke within enclosed public places and workplaces. No specific assessment has been made regarding the number of people over the age of 55 years who are anticipated to give up smoking as a result of the implementation of the legislation.

Smoking: Television

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether accommodation used in reality television programmes are enclosed public places for the purposes of the forthcoming smoking ban; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: An assessment would need to be made on the particular circumstances of the premises. Such premises would be smokefree if they are a public place or workplace under the provisions in Section 2 of the Health Act 2006 (c.28). Premises that are open to the public or are a workplace will need to be smokefree within enclosed or substantially enclosed parts, as defined in the Smoke-free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations 2006.

vCJD

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1008W, on vCJD, what the name is of each prototype vCJD assay that is being evaluated; which body is carrying out each evaluation; what the purpose is of each evaluation; on what date each evaluation began; on what date his Department expects each evaluation to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The prototype assays under evaluation are not named and are for research use only.
	The evaluation is part of collaborative work between NHS Blood and Transplant, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control. This evaluation is to determine whether available prototype assays for the detection of abnormal prions in blood perform with the sensitivity and specificity that is required for their use in a large-scale study of the prevalence of abnormal prions in the British population.
	The notice of the HPA's tender for prototype assays for evaluation was issued (in the  Official Journal of the European Union) on 2 February 2007. The evaluation is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Electricity: Meters

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how frequently real time electricity displays will communicate data to customers under his proposals to extend smart-metering; whether the electricity displays will offer different tariffs depending on the time of day; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 2 July 2007
	Self-standing real-time display devices will provide real-time information to customers about electricity consumption and cost. Smart meters, in conjunction with display devices designed to work with them, could support a range of time-of-day tariffs.

Electricity: Meters

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he expects the smart-meters proposed in his Energy White Paper will be fully broadband enabled; and what contribution he expects that the use of such technology will make in reducing  (a) losses in the network and  (b) the need for peak power.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 2 July 2007
	Energy suppliers are undertaking a programme of work, overseen by Ofgem, to address the issue of inter-operability of smart meters. This work includes an examination of the communications systems, including but not limited to broadband, that underpin smart meters. Smart meters can offer benefits such as peak-load shifting and maintaining of the network on the basis of a variety of communication technology. The Government will be considering these issues as part of their forthcoming consultation on billing and metering.

Energy: EU Action

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with the EU on a common energy policy.

Malcolm Wicks: The former Minister for Energy and officials have been in regular contact with the Commission and their counterparts in other member states to discuss the proposals in the Commission's Strategic Energy Review of January. These proposals have widespread support across the EU and have been endorsed by the European Council. We now look forward to the Commission producing proposals for legislation.
	We fully support the Commission's proposals, which will promote the further development of a competitive, sustainable and secure European energy market to the benefit of consumers.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, how many civil servants, and of what pay grade, worked on restructuring the low carbon buildings programme.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 12 June 2007
	In making a decision on restructuring the low carbon buildings programme Phase 1 household stream, Ministers were primarily advised by the microgeneration team.
	At the time, the microgeneration team consisted of five civil servants (two range 10s and three range 8s). More senior civil servants were involved as necessary.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why his Department has cut the maximum limit for grants offered to householders through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Low Carbon Buildings Programme has proved successful in demonstrating the suitability of microgeneration at the domestic level. Another key objective of the programme is to see the cost of technologies fall. We took the opportunity of the additional £6 million announced for the household stream in Budget 2007 to restructure the scheme, following a wide consultation. We removed the monthly cap and lowered the £2,500 grant cap per household as this provides a simple and fair way of allocating funds to installations across all technologies, helping to ensure we use the limited funds available to support as many household microgeneration installations as possible.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the budget is for the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07; and what the forecast budget is for 2007-08.

Malcolm Wicks: The Low Carbon Buildings Programme has an £86 million budget over three years. The programme was launched in April 2006, with no formal budgets for specific years.
	Phase 1 is a £36 million programme, which allocated £10,598,504 in financial year ending 30 March 2007. The remainder is forecast to be allocated in financial year 2007-08, less programme management fees.
	Phase 2 is a £50 million programme. We forecast a budget of £20,000,000 in financial year 2007-08.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was spent under phase one of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme  (a) in total and  (b) in each region in the UK in each month since the scheme began; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: At 27 June 2007, only one payment under Stream 2 of Phase 1 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme has been paid. That was for £9,362 in the East of England, paid in November 2006. The following tables provide the data for the Communities (now closed to new applicants) and Householders streams.
	
		
			  Communities, by region  Date  Paid (£) 
			 South West February 2006 18,921 
			 South East November 2006 2,050 
			 South West March 2007 11,650 
			 Wales March 2007 1,772 
			 London May 2007 19,005 
			 South East May 2007 4,670 
			 East of England June 2007 12,754 
			 Yorks and Humber June 2007 11,026 
			 East Midlands  0 
			 Eastern  0 
			 North East  0 
			 North West  0 
			 Northern Ireland  0 
			 Scotland  0 
			 West Midlands  0 
			 Grand total  81,848 
		
	
	
		
			   Householders 
			  Date  East Midlands  East of England  London  North East  North West  Northern Ireland 
			  250,149 562,206 380,883 85,983 233,164 94,944 
			  2006   
			 April — — — — — — 
			 May — — — — — — 
			 June — — 400 — — — 
			 July — 400 — — — — 
			 August 2,800 3,200 800 800 1,200 5,000 
			 September 5,600 13,430 15,650 400 2,000 — 
			 October 7,070 32,940 19,350 — 2,400 6,281 
			 November 15,256 27,675 36,751 4,000 13,694 3,720 
			 December 13,280 38,944 16,055 400 8,113 — 
			  2007   
			 January 16,010 44,117 26,405 6,200 31,425 46,600 
			 February 19,036 65,814 57,607 14,456 24,428 16,600 
			 March 39,062 76,211 58,416 25,156 24,820 12,547 
			 April 46,110 63,008 34,981 12,600 23,606 1,500 
			 May 70,172 146,440 71,209 13,571 66,474 2,697 
			 June 15,754 50,027 43,262 8,400 35,004 — 
		
	
	
		
			   Householders 
			  Date  Northern Ireland  Scotland  South East  South West  Wales  West Midlands  Yorks and Humber 
			  94,944 192,630 1,256,040 862,757 282,830 271,311 233,152 
			  2006
			 April — — — — — — — 
			 May — — — — — — — 
			 June — — 400 400 400 — — 
			 July — — 400 800 400 2,000 — 
			 August 5,000 6,000 29,630 10,000 2,000 10,695 10,080 
			 September — — 18,400 14,300 6,400 2,000 3,200 
			 October 6,281 15,000 93,344 21,740 28,710 10,355 6,170 
			 November 3,720 6,070 83,403 61,636 11,800 18,331 16,240 
			 December — 20,951 97,158 48,750 13,837 25,934 17,480 
			  2007
			 January 46,600 25,520 101,817 43,737 15,496 20,397 12,336 
			 February 16,600 9,743 122,881 124,411 38,704 25,423 24,02S 
			 March 12,547 30,856 139,374 122,142 54,869 36,555 46,722 
			 April 1,500 24,054 143,296 94,816 25,796 56,798 32,721 
			 May 2,697 39,436 318,021 242,318 64,081 41,842 52,194 
			 June — 15,000 107,916 77,706 20,338 20,980 11,981 
			 Total   4,765,057

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much has been spent to date under phase two of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme  (a) in total and  (b) in each region in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: At 5 pm on 26 June 2007, the expenditure under Phase 2 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme was £2,006.50, which was an interim claim for a project in the East of England.
	Real-time national and regional data on both fund allocation and expenditure are available on the programme website:
	www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans his Department has to increase funding under phase 1 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 was launched in April 2006 with a £30.0 million budget. In Budget 2007, the Chancellor announced a further £6.0 million for household stream of the programme, as a final tranche of funding for Phase One to aid the transition to a more mature market for microgeneration.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans the Department has to raise the cap on grants per household under Phase 1 of the Low Carbon Buildings programme; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Since Budget 2007, the Householder stream of Phase 1 has been restructured, following discussions with key stakeholders. It was re-launched on 29 May 2007. As part of the restructuring, the grant cap was lowered to £2,500, as this provides a simple and fair way of allocating funds to installations across all technologies, helping to ensure we use the limited funds available to support as many household microgeneration installations as possible.
	We will continue to monitor and report on grant commitments and payments. However, once the funds are fully allocated, this form of grant support for householders is expected to cease.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much has been spent under Phase 2 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme  (a) in total and  (b) in each region of the UK in each month since the scheme has been operating; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 26 June 2007
	At 5 pm on 26 June 2007, the expenditure under Phase 2 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programmes was £2,006.50, which was an interim claim for a project in the East of England paid in June 2007.
	Real-time national and regional data on both fund allocation and expenditure are available on the programme website: www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much funding under Phase 1 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme has not yet been allocated; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 26 June 2007
	Phase 1 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme is a £36.0 million programme.
	At 27 June 2007, Phase 1 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme had allocated £16,394,070. The remainder, less programme management fees, remains to be allocated.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when the Department expects all the funding under Phase 1 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme to be allocated; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 26 June 2007
	The Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 1 was launched in April 2006 with a £30 million budget. In Budget 2007, a further £6 million was made available for the household stream. In May 2007, the household stream was re-launched following restructuring. In removing the monthly cap and making other changes, we cannot predict future demand with certainty. We will continue to monitor and report on grant commitments and payments. To ensure projects have sufficient time to complete we expect to allocate the majority of funding for Stream 2 projects in the first 18 months of the programme.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Finance

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much money under Phase 2 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme has not yet been allocated; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 26 June 2007
	At 5pm on 26 June 2007, £1,688,839.81 of the £50,000,000 Low Carbon Buildings Programme fund had been allocated. The remainder, less programme management fees, has not yet been allocated.
	Real-time national and regional data on both fund allocation and expenditure are available on the programme website: www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Finance

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much funding was allocated to the low carbon buildings programme for 2006-07.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 27 June 2007
	The low carbon buildings programme has an £86 million budget over three years. The programme was launched in April 2006. Funds are not allocated on a yearly basis.

Mortgages

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what steps the Government have taken since 1997 to encourage mortgage lenders to offer flexible types of loan;
	(2)  what steps the Government have taken since 1997 to encourage mortgage lenders to develop and market insurance policies to protect buyers and sellers against gazumping and gazundering.

Kitty Ussher: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK has a competitive and diverse mortgage market, which includes flexible mortgage products. The flexible mortgage market has grown since the late 1990s. Recent research (2004) suggests that 21 per cent. of borrowers have mortgages with flexible features. Whether or not a lender decides to offer a specific product is a matter of commercial judgment for the firm in question.
	The Government considers that, in an open and competitive insurance market, it is for insurers to choose what products and services they wish to offer.
	The FSA commenced regulation of first charge residential mortgages in October 2004, and regulation of general insurance in January 2005.
	FSA regulation helps people to make informed choices about their financial future and offers valuable consumer protections.

Mothers: Flexible Working

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, what work he is undertaking to promote flexible working hours for new mothers.

Patrick McFadden: In April 2003, the Government introduced the right to request flexible working for parents of children under the age of six, or 18 for disabled children. The law has been a success, and has been particularly helpful for mothers. For example, 47 per cent. of new mothers now work flexi-time compared to just 17 per cent. in 2002. In addition, the proportion of new mothers who have changed their employer when returning to work has halved from 41 per cent. in 2002 to 20 per cent. (Maternity and Paternity Rights Survey of Employees 2005).
	The Government aim to implement the right to request flexible working for parents in a manner which fits with the needs of a high employment flexible labour market economy. The Government are working closely with employers, who are leading the way in addressing the causes of the gender gap with projects which include supporting mothers returning to work and creating better quality opportunities for staff working part-time. 115 organisations, from both the public and private sectors, have signed up as exemplar employers.
	More generally, the Government encourage all types of flexible working across the work force by providing detailed guidance and promoting the benefits and encouraging the sharing of best practice. Business Link also provides practical support and advice for employers on starting, maintaining and growing a business. Employers and employees can also access advice from the ACAS website and telephone helpline.

Sun Beds

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what legislation covers  (a) the sale of tanning equipment to private individuals for use in the home and  (b) the permitted age for buying such equipment.

Malcolm Wicks: The legislation regulating the safety of tanning equipment sold to individuals is the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 (S.I.1994 No.3260).
	There are no constraints on age limits under this legislation.